Pete Murray (Australian singer-songwriter)

Peter Kenneth Murray was born in Chinchilla, on 14 October 1969. His mother is Jan and he has a sister. When Murray was 16 the family moved to Brisbane. He attended St Joseph's College, Nudgee, for his final two years of secondary schooling. At the college, Murray showed talent in rugby union, athletics, and swimming. He briefly played Brisbane club rugby for GPS and Brothers. When he was 18, his father died of a heart attack, which made him realise "how precious time was".{{cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/pete-murray-reveals-driving-force-behind-career-as-he-celebrates-20-years-in-the-music-industry/news-story/894b9222550f073aac123eb20653ba3c |title=Murray reveals driving force |publisher=Nationwide News Pty |author=Christine Estera |date=27 May 2023 |access-date=19 September 2024}}

While on the sidelines, Murray started to learn the guitar at age 22.{{cite web|date=21 November 2003|title=Singer-Songwriter – Pete Murray|url=http://www.abc.net.au/nsw/stories/s999260.htm|access-date=15 June 2007|publisher=ABC}} Eventually, he worked up the courage to take his guitar to a barbecue, singing songs by Neil Young and Crowded House. However, his main interest was traveling and pursuing a career in sports medicine.

Murray played small gigs around the country with flautist Col McIntyre, eventually putting a band together (including the keyboard player Ben McCarthy, who works with him to this day).

In 2001, Murray released the EP D Day followed by the album, The Game on Auxiliary Records. Murray moved to Melbourne to pursue a musical career.

{{main|Feeler (Pete Murray album)}}

In early 2003, Murray signed a contract with Sony BMG and he entered the studio with producer Paul McKercher and his band (consisting of Ben McCarthy on bass guitar and keyboards, Christian Sargeant on drums, Paul Tyrell on guitar and Col McIntyre on reeds & flute) to make the Feeler album.

Feeler was released on 21 July 2003 with the title track as the first single. Triple J radio started playing the track with the Nova FM and Triple M networks picking it up. With this support, Feeler entered the ARIA top 50 album charts in 2003. His reputation was building fast and he started selling out shows in smaller venues.

"So Beautiful" was released in January 2004, reaching the top ten. This spurred sales of the album driving it to number one on the Australian album charts in late March 2004 and six times platinum status. By 2008, the album had sold half-a-million copies.{{cite news |url = http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23714419-5009160,00.html |title = Pete Murray's sun after dark |work=The Daili Telegraph (Australia) |publisher = News Corporation |access-date = 9 August 2008 |date = 18 May 2008 |first=James |last=Wigney}}

{{main|See the Sun (Pete Murray album)}}

Murray's third studio album, See the Sun,was released in September 2005. The album spawned three official singles, "Better Days", "Opportunity" and "George's Helper", while a video was made for radio single "Class A". Days after its release, Murray performed at the 2005 NRL grand final.{{cite news|last=Halloran|first=Jessica|title=Stereotype fun: toys for boys and short skirts for girls|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/stereotype-fun-toys-for-boys-and-short-skirts-for-girls/2005/10/02/1128191607835.html|access-date=30 August 2011|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=3 October 2005}} See the Sun sold 350,000 copies.

{{main|Summer at Eureka (album)}}

His fourth studio album, Summer at Eureka, was released on 17 May 2008. It entered the charts at number 1 in Australia, his third consecutive chart-topping album. The first single from the album was "You Pick Me Up", which reached number 36 on the Australian charts. The second single from the album, "Saving Grace", was released in July 2008.

{{main|Blue Sky Blue (album)|Blue Sky Blue "The Byron Sessions"}}

His fifth studio album, Blue Sky Blue, was released in Australia on 2 September 2011 and peaked at number 6 in Australia and was certified gold. In 2012, many of the songs were re-recorded with a number of the songs recorded as duets. This album was titled Blue Sky Blue "The Byron Sessions" and peaked at number 17 in Australia in 2013.

{{main|Camacho (album)}}

In June 2017, Murray released his seventh studio album Camacho. The album peaked at number 3 in Australia.{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Pete+Murray|title=australian-charts.com – Discography Pete Murray|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=10 June 2017}}

On 26 June 2020, Murray released "Found My Place", his first single since Camacho.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/pete-murray-releases-new-single-found-my-place-2695855|title=Pete Murray releases new single "Found My Place"|website=NME|date=26 June 2020|access-date=26 June 2020}} It was the lead single from his EP The Night, which was released on 5 March 2021. The EP also featured the singles "If We Never Dance Again" and "Waiting for This Love". On 17 September 2021, Pete released "Hold Me Steady", the first single from the follow-up EP, Before I Go, released on 1 April 2022.

In February 2023, Murray announced the release of Best of Pete Murray. The album was released in May 2023 with a Greatest Hits Tour, commencing in July.{{Cite web|url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pete-murray-greatest-hits-album-tour-44787/|title=Pete Murray Announces Greatest Hits Album and Tour|website=Rolling Stone Australia|date=5 February 2023|access-date=11 February 2023}}

In 2023, Murray was unmasked as "Tiny" on the fifth season of Network 10's The Masked Singer Australia. He was unmasked on the sixth episode after his third performance.{{Cite news |last=Bond |first=Nick |date=16 October 2023 |title=The Masked Singer week 6 reveal: Million-selling Aussie singer unmasked |work=news.com.au |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/the-masked-singer-week-6-reveal-millionselling-aussie-singer-unmasked/news-story/142fd0a0e48ca10b89708b83c1f2e51a |access-date=16 October 2023}}

In March 2025, Murray announced a 55-day Australian tour.{{cite web|url=https://www.therockpit.net/2025/pete-murray-shares-stirring-new-single-video-i-am-fire/|title=Pete Murray Shares Stirring New Single + Video I Am Fire |website=The Rock Pit|date=14 March 2025|access-date=17 March 2025}}

Murray married Amanda Coutts on 7 October 2006 in the New South Wales town of Eureka.{{cite web | url = http://www.executivestyle.com.au/pete-murray-i-dont-think-i-will-get-married-again-1kx4n | title = Pete Murray: 'I don't think I will get married again' | last = Rocca | first = Jane | work = Executive Style | publisher = Fairfax Media | date = 25 September 2011 | access-date = 22 May 2016 }}{{cite news |title = Murray's golden moment |url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/people/murrays-golden-moment/2006/10/07/1159641572806.html |author = Sams, Christine |access-date = 17 June 2007 |date = 6 October 2006 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald}} In July 2009, Murray and Coutts had separated and shared custody of their two children.[http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,25860985-7484,00.html?referrer=email&source=eDM_entertainment "Pete Murray splits from wife Amanda Couttis"], The Courier-Mail, 31 July 2009 Coutts worked as a designer and renovated a set of stables into a home.{{cite web | url = http://thedesignfiles.net/2015/08/amanda-coutts/ | title = Amanda Coutts | last = Feagins | first = Lucy | work = The Design Files | date = 12 August 2015 | access-date = 22 May 2016 }}

In 2016 he married his partner of four years Mira Eady.[https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6030359/pete-murray-plays-it-cool-with-his-new-album/ "Pete Murray plays it cool with his new album"], Canberra Times, 27 July 2017 He resides in Byron Bay.

{{main|Pete Murray discography}}

• The Game (2001)
• Feeler (2003)
• See the Sun (2005)
• Summer at Eureka (2008)
• Blue Sky Blue (2011)
• Camacho (2017)
• TBA (2025)

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Murray has been nominated for 17 ARIA Music Awards.{{cite web | url=https://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/search/?text=murray|title=Aria Awards|website=ARIA Awards|access-date=23 January 2020}}

{{awards table}}

|-

| rowspan="4"| 2003 ||rowspan="2"| Feeler || Breakthrough Artist – Album || {{nominated}}

|-

| Best Blues & Roots Album || {{nominated}}

|-

|rowspan="2"| Paul McKercher for Feeler || Producer of the Year || {{nominated}}

|-

|| Engineer of the Year || {{nominated}}

|-

| rowspan="7"| 2004 ||Feeler || Highest Selling Album || {{nominated}}

|-

|rowspan="4"| "So Beautiful" || Best Male Artist || {{nominated}}

|-

| Single of the Year || {{nominated}}

|-

| Best Pop Release || {{nominated}}

|-

| Best Video || {{nominated}}

|-

| Passing Time || Best Music DVD || {{nominated}}

|-

| Paul McKercher & Pete Murray for "So Beautiful" || Producer of the Year || {{nominated}}

|-

| rowspan="2"| 2006 ||rowspan="2"| See the Sun || Highest Selling Album || {{nominated}}

|-

| Best Male Artist || {{nominated}}

|-

| rowspan="2"| 2008 || Summer at Eureka || Best Male Artist || {{nominated}}

|-

| Anthony Lycenko for Summer at Eureka || Engineer of the Year || {{nominated}}

|-

| 2009 || Chance to Say Goodbye || Best Blues & Roots Album || {{nominated}}

|-

| 2017 || Camacho || Best Adult Contemporary Album || {{nominated}}

{{end}}

The APRA Awards are several award ceremonies run in Australia by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) to recognise composing and song writing skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. The awards have been presented annually since 1982.{{cite web | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History.aspx | title = APRA History | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | access-date = 17 May 2010 }}

{{awards table}}

|-

| 2005 || "So Beautiful" (Peter Murray) || Most Performed Australian Work{{cite web | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History/2005Winners.aspx | title = 2005 Winners – APRA Music Awards | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | access-date = 17 May 2010 }} || {{won}}

|-

| 2006 || "Better Days" (Murray) || Song of the Year{{cite web | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/Nominations/Nominations2006.aspx | title = Nominations – 2006 | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | access-date = 17 May 2010 }} || {{nom}}

|-

| 2007 || "Opportunity" (Murray) || Most Performed Australian Work{{cite web | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/Nominations/MostPerformedAustralianWorknominations2007.aspx | title = Most Performed Australian Work nominations – 2007 | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | access-date = 17 May 2010 }} || {{nom}}

|-

| 2012

| "Always a Winner" (Murray, Tom Rothrock) {{cite web|url=http://www.noise11.com/news/apra-announce-star-studded-song-of-the-year-top-30-20120322|title=APRA Announce Star-Studded Song of the Year Top 30|website=Noise11|date=22 March 2012|access-date=28 April 2022}}

| Song of the Year

| {{shortlisted}}

|-

{{end}}

The Queensland Music Awards (previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebrating Queensland, Australia's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006.{{cite web|url=https://www.queenslandmusicawards.com.au/about|title= About the Queensland Music Awards|website=Queensland Music Awards|access-date=21 March 2021}}

{{Awards table}} (wins only)

|-

| 2012{{cite web|url= https://www.queenslandmusicawards.com.au/past-winners/2012|title=Past Winners 2012|website=Queensland Music Awards|access-date=25 March 2021}}

| himself

| The Courier-Mail People's Choice Award Most Popular Male

| {{won}}

|-

{{end}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official|www.petemurray.com}}

{{Pete Murray}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Pete}}

Category:1969 births

Category:APRA Award winners

Category:Australian male singers

Category:Australian multi-instrumentalists

Category:Australian male songwriters

Category:Living people

Category:Musicians from Brisbane

Category:Sony Music Australia artists

Category:People from Chinchilla, Queensland

Category:People educated at St Joseph's College, Nudgee