Country Boys

Nick and Noah Murray were big country twins way before they were big in country twins.

Nick and Noah have the distinction of being the largest set of twins born in Nebraska and the third largest nationally weighing in at a combined 18 pounds, nine ounces at birth.

Oh, and the Murray twins, now 28, just happen to be an up and coming country music duo who took home top honors at the 2008 American Country Idol, an American Country Showcase event that drew entries from all over the country. The pair just completed a sold out European tour and kicked off their U.S. tour last week in Omaha.

Not bad for a couple of self-described country boys who grew up on a farm just outside Glenwood and graduated from Nishna Valley High School.

Nick and Noah come from a musical family. Raised by a single mom who put her own musical aspirations aside to raise her two boys, they inherited her singing voice and love of country music. The twins first performed together at age 5 with a rendition of “Momma, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” on stage with their uncle’s band, Almost Good Country, and the country music chord was struck.

“Music is an art,” Noah said. “Some people like to paint. My brother and I, we like music in that way. It’s a way of life for us. Just imagine how boring life would be on this planet without music.”

Both admit they probably never would have had the guts or the drive to give music a try if it weren’t for their mother.

“My mother, she is a very talented singer,” said Noah. “Nick and I got our talent from her. She was offered a nice big record contract when she was young and she passed that up to raise us,” Noah said. “She wanted to be a mother and passed the deal up. She sort of passed that dream on to us.”

In addition to both taking turns singing, Nick plays the piano, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, lead guitar and acoustic guitar and Noah is a drummer.

After years of karaoke singing the two got serious for American Country Idol. After winning a regional competition in Omaha, much to their surprise, the two went on to the national finals in Branson, Mo. still not quite sure if they belonged.

Noah described the American Country Idol competition as “nerve wracking.” Nick said it wasn’t until they reached the semifinals that it occurred to him the two could make a career of music.

“During the semifinals everyone was telling us what great voices we have and that we had a great act, we’re very lively on stage. That's when it kind of hit me,” Nick said.

“We knew we weren't the best singers but I think we put probably one of the best shows,” said Noah of their American Country Idol performance. “When we got up there, we're ourselves. We don't try and be something other people want. We're ourselves.”

The sentiment stuck with the judges panel, which included Nashville talent scouts and Waylon Jennings' former manager. Less than a week after winning the two were in Nashville cutting their first album, Slingshot Buddies. The CD was first released in Europe, considered a growing country music market, where it quickly hit No.1 on the European country charts. The duo toured Sweden, The Netherlands and Germany, sometimes in front of crowds as big as 20,000.

“It was a real change of pace,” said Nick of the European tour. “The crowds were amazing there.”

In a matter of months the Murray twins went from the relative obscurity of karaoke contests to American Country Idol winners with a record deal, a hit record and a European tour.

“It's been amazing,” said Noah. “To go from a pretty normal everyday life to sort of a superstar life on tour in Europe was amazing.”

Noah described their music as hard core country but varying between pop and classic, influenced by rock guitar riffs and twangy Jerry Reed and Waylon Jennings ballads. They list Jennings, Merle Haggard and Jeff Healy in addition to Credence Clearwater Revival, Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special among their strongest influences.

They wrote or co-wrote all the songs on their debut album with a Nashville lyricist. Their next release, scheduled to be out later this summer, was written entirely by Nick and Noah.

But country music stardom hasn't gone to either Nick or Noah's heads. While they consider themselves full time country musicians, neither has quit their “day job.” Noah, a structural engineer and a father of two little girls, owns and operates Cyclone Choppers in Collins, Iowa. Nick is currently the grounds and maintenance supervisor for the Ralston Public Schools.

The duo just got their own tour bus and kicked off a six month, 200 show U.S. tour last Thursday in Omaha with an acoustic show. They recently also just started their own record label, Slingshot Records, and have signed two independent artists so far.

“We just want to give some other people the same chance we got,” Nick said. “It's hard to get a shot in country music. We got one and we want to give some other people that shot.”