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Murdock, a protege of the late Roger Troutman, started singing in church as a child. She originally planned on being a gospel singer, but later branched out to R&B and funk. Murdock moved to Dayton in 1984 to join Zapp.
The band’s leader Roger Troutman went on to produce her self-titled solo debut, which was a Top 10 R&B release in 1986. Some of her other albums include “A Woman’s Point of View” (1988), “Home” (2002) and “Live: The Journey” (2011). In February 2018, Murdock released a three-song EP.
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“The show is looking at my life and what I’ve contributed to the music industry over these 30-plus years,” Murdock said. “They contacted us last year and started to gather up information and talk to people in my life like my family and friends and people in the industry. I saw a rough draft but I’m really excited to see the final cut.”
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Like her idol, Murdock does more than sing. She began her stage acting career in the mid-1990s with “Sick Friends.” She appeared in Tyler Perry’s first play, “I Know I’ve Been Changed.” Her other acting credits include “Be Careful What You Pray For,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “The Man of Her Dreams.”
“So many of my dreams have come true,” Murdock said. “From being that girl in Toledo watching Shirley Temple movies and saying, ‘One day that’s going to be me,’ to actually being an actor and singer. I’m so blessed to still be viable and still be doing what I love to do. I’m excited and grateful for it all but I’m not ready to stop.
“The only time I’ll really be unsung is when I’m dead and gone,” she added with a chuckle. “I plan on doing this until I can’t do it anymore.”
Learn more about the episode here.
Learn more about Shirley Murdock here.
Credit: Submitted
Credit: Submitted
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