The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, September 13, 1995          TAG: 9509120107
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN    PAGE: 06   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Cover Story 
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   43 lines

ISLE OF WIGHT IS MURPHY'S KIND OF SMALL-TOWN PLACE

If country singer David Lee Murphy likes small towns, pickup trucks and a country lifestyle, he should feel right at home when he headlines the entertainment Saturday at the Isle of Wight County Fair.

With a truck-load of hits already to his credit, Murphy will be on the Budweiser Main Stage from 9:15 to 11 p.m., just after the fireworks.

Otherwise, fairgoers will be treated to a country music smorgasbord with locally and regionally known entertainers performing throughout the four-day event.

Murphy, 36, is originally from Illinois. But he now lives with his wife and two children in what he calls a ``little bitty town'' about 25 miles outside Nashville.

Murphy says he values his family life, and he says his song-writing talent comes out best at his kitchen table, while he strums his guitar.

It was song-writing that first brought him into the limelight. Reba McEntire recently recorded ``Red Roses Won't Work Now,'' and Doug Stone later recorded ``High Weeds and Rust.''

Meanwhile, Murphy put together a four-piece band, ``Blue Tick Hounds,'' and played all over Nashville in ``little bars'' and ``every dive between here and Atlanta.''

Murphy describes his music as ``Saturday-night-in-a-pickup-truck-with-the-windows-rolled-down-having-a-good- time party music.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Murphy

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Entertainment Schedule

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