Check Out Johnny Cole Murdock’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnny Cole Murdock.

Hi Johnny Cole, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I picked up guitar in high school at the age of 16. I was inspired by guys like Ted Nugent, Ozzy Osbourne, and Dimeback Darrell. Those roots are behind my guitar-driven sound today. I was also inspired by the unique sounds of Waylon Jennings and Lynyrd Skynyrd. But I didn’t pursue music right away out of high school. That was my dream, but I also had a desire to serve my country like my Pops. He was a WWII veteran, a man of great faith, and a bigger inspiration than any artist out there. So I enlisted in the Air Force straight out of school. I served for six years as a missile maintainer at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and was honorably discharged in 2018. The goal at that point was to build myself up as an artist, but within a few years I fell severely ill. Turns out the military had its residual effects on me. I got sick from working in the nuclear missile silos. I was determined not to let this be a setback in my career. Even though I was moving slow — slower than I would have liked — I was determined to keep moving forward. I continued to hone my music, save up to record, and work on all the skill sets you need to make it as an artist these days: social media, content creation, networking, and recording chops. My illness may never go away, and I still have my off days, but I’m gaining traction regardless because my love for music, for creating, drives me to work when my body fails me. I currently have two songs available to stream and am wrapping up on the recordings for four more.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As I mentioned in the previous question, my health was definitely the main struggle. Apart from that, affordability. It takes a good chunk of change to make inroads with new audiences, let alone the costs to get your songs recorded, mixed, and mastered — especially as an independent artist. I have invested just about every spare penny into my music.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a southern rock artist and a veteran. I bring a unique sound to the southern rock genre, and am known for my cinematic social media content. I am proud of the work I put into my craft, because just about every waking hour in my life revolves around music. That includes my commitment to continuing education. Every day I commit time to learning about the latest insights to the music industry on gear, social media, promotion, recording, mixing, mastering, vocal techniques, etc. This has led to my professional versatility. In this process of honing my skills to do as much as I can in-house, I have become a seasoned photographer and videographer and have recently learned to play pedal steel guitar.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
The book of Proverbs in the Bible keeps me grounded and gives me insight to make wise choices. Whenever I have a fork in the road, I turn to that book and prayer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://johnnycolemurdock.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/johnnycolemurdock/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/JohnnyColeMurdock1
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@JohnnyColeMurdockMusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4yh6ir1QxZqVVSxzTaWS0M