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Michael Powers Jimi Hendrix 70th B-Day Tribute at Terra Blues, N.Y. 2012 "Little Wing:". (Light projection show by Larry Blumentein) Video by Larry Blumenstein Video Productions. Contact: LarryBlumenstein@aol.com, 917-817-2112. (Copyright 2012) (c)
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Michael was born on February 7, 1952 to Doris and James Murchison on 25th Street and Avenue C, in Bayonne, New Jersey USA. Young Michael worked at his dads Silver Moon Restaurant, known as "Murch's". Every payday, Wolfsons Record Store on 26th & Broadway, is where Michael headed. Bayonne is a global Military Oceanal Terminal, so Michael regularly traded with Sailors from Liverpool England, his Motown - for their British Blues 45's. Michael sang and played air guitar with his moms broom. Tired of cleaning up the straw, Doris traded in her Speigal Catalogue stamps and bought him a guitar at age 7.
Michael spent Summers with relatives in North Carolina on tobacco fields and as a result, was consistently exposed to segregation and also the authentic blues porchmen and their sounds of harmonicas, guitars and singing.
ne day in NJ while delivering soda to "Max' Tavern" for his dad at 16 years old, Michael or "little Murch" as he was known then, meets his first mentor, JIMMY REED who played the Tavern regularly with his wife. Jimmy showed Michael his first "A-bare chord". Doris recognized her Son's prodigy and sent Michael for guitar tuning at Piero's Music Store. Michael took his guitar to school everyday. Doris called Michael to watch the Beatles on TV.
Eventually little Murch's school band "Apple Core" opened for both "Steel Mill" (now Bruce Springsteen) and headliner JAMES COTTON in the late 1960's. James Cotton became Michael's second mentor and hired Michael as guitarist during his high-school summer off.
Murch's early 1970's band "Red, White & Black" worked day jobs, but still played EVERY night - Personnel: Stanley Kasper, Michael Bernardski, Joe Scudder, Jimmy Rath & Sal Morinello. They never recorded.
In 1975 Murch records with The AdLibs, the cult hit: BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY
Murch begins to co-compose music with his various bands. "Nineteen76" is dedicated to his late wife Yvonne.
"Lookin For the Truth" is dedicated to his local band "Moonbeam" who performed extensively from 1975-1988, personnel: the late Michael "Beenie" Rachinsky (keys, bass), Dennis "Papa Bear" Doslick (drums) and Tony "Bug" Bugman (vocals, guitar). "Rock 'n Roll Sweater" is dedicated to the Bayonne Beauties, Big Apple Lounge, Mr. L's Brothers Tavern and Max Tavern. 1977 Moonbeam Articles:
Murch's "Chelsea Blues Band" opens Bleecker Street's Terra Blues club in 1989... Personnel: Steve Marshall-bass, harmonica and Jodi-drums/percussions. But it was his "Powder Keg Band" which stayed at Terra Blues for a decade, up until the 9-11 attacks.
Songs "Bluesiana" and "Street Corner Rhapsody" are Murch's POWDER KEG BAND and this recording is on the CD "BLUESIANA BREEZE 3 DECADES", dedicated to and named by his late mother Doris... Personnel: Buddy Case-steel pedal g./courtesy Motown; Luigi "Shadow" Francicioni-drums; Vic Washingon-organ and Marco Petrilli-bass. Powder Keg also recorded some of same tracks on POWER STOMP LIVE
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