Photo Review: Willow Avalon and David Lee Murphy

Willow Avalon released her first original song, "You’re Not Mine", on YouTube in 2012. She performed on the kids' stage at that year's Athfest after winning Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School's battle of the bands competition, Ram Jam.

Avalon self-published a single, "Drivin", in 2021. She signed to Atlantic Records/Assemble Sound in 2023. Her debut EP, Stranger, was released on February 29, 2024. The EP was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York City.

In 2025, her songs "Tequila and Whiskey" and "Homewrecker" went viral on TikTok. Soon after, Avalon released her debut album, Southern Belle Raisin' Hell, on January 17, 2025. She used her mugshot from a previous arrest for the album's cover.

On June 26, 2026, she released Pink Pocket Pistol, her second studio album.

David Lee Murphy is best recognized by his massive hit single “Dust On The Bottle”. But he is also known as one of Country Music’s best songwriters. He has written songs for superstar artists like Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Hank Williams, Jr., and others.

“I really concentrated on my songwriting”, Murphy states. “I wanted to get better so I could record my own songs.” Several rough demos of Murphy’s compositions, including the song “Party Crowd,” caught the attention of MCA executive Renee Bell, who passed Murphy’s music along to Grammy and CMA Award-winning producer Tony Brown (George Strait, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, and others). After hearing the song demos, Brown, who had been following Murphy’s progress as a performer and songwriter, decided it was time to sign Murphy as an artist to MCA Records.

Murphy’s follow-up album, Gettin’ Out The Good Stuff, spawned the hit singles “Every Time I Get Around You”, “The Road You Leave Behind”, “Breakfast In Birmingham,” and the cult classic “Genuine Rednecks”.

Murphy was content writing songs and touring. He had no plans to record another album. But country music superstar Kenny Chesney convinced him otherwise.

“I’ve been friends and written songs with Kenny for years,” Murphy reflects. “I sent him some songs for one of his albums a couple of years ago, and he called me up. He goes, ‘Man, you need to be making a record. I could produce it with Buddy Cannon, and I think people would love it.’ It’s hard to say no to Kenny Chesney when he comes up with an idea like that.”

“Kenny was really influential in the songs that we picked,” says Murphy. “Over the course of the next year or so, we got together, talked about it, and picked out songs. I wanted to record songs of mine that people haven’t heard before, that are new. We wanted to make the kind of album that you would listen to if you were camping or out on a lake, fishing. Or sitting anywhere, just having a good time.”

The album titled No Zip Code contains 11 songs written by Murphy with some of Nashville’s finest songwriters. It yielded the # 1 single and duet with Chesney, “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” and earned Murphy his first CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year

Despite all his success as an artist, Murphy always goes back to his love of songwriting. He was inducted into the esteemed Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Class of 2023 alongside Keith Urban, Kix Brooks, Casey Beathard, and Rafe Van Hoy.

“I’ve had a crazy good time,” says Murphy. “I’ve been really fortunate. A lot of great artists have recorded my songs. I get up every day and do something I really love, which is writing songs. I get to be with artists and the best songwriters anywhere. Plus, I get to record. I sing the demos of the songs, so I’m making little records and being in the studio”.

Connect with David Lee Murphy for touring info at www.davidlee.com/david-lee-murphy/, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/davidleemurphy, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/davidleemurphy, on YouTube at www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vlB7avwlpolmVKzjEoOyg/videos.

Connect with Willow Avalon for touring info at www.willowavalonmusic.com/, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/willowavalon/?hl=en, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/willowavalonmusic/, on YouTube at www.youtube.com/channel/UC3V3edIwrNyaNh09vYHGCGA.

For more information on Acrisure Amphitheater and to keep up to date as they announce shows for next season, follow on social media: on Instagram at instagram.com/acrisureamphitheater/, on Facebook at facebook.com/acrisureamphitheatergr, on YouTube at youtube.com/@AcrisureAmphitheater, on X at @AcrisureAmp, and online at www.acrisureamphitheater.com/

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