Career
Her lead vocal special guest appearance with SmoothJazz artist Ben Tankard, climbed to #1 Gospel and #20 on Billboard Top 200 on WOW Gospel 2006 and is certified Gold. Their collaboration of the Lionel Richie song "Jesus Is Love " is one of the most played songs on Sirius XM Radio gospel channel for eight years since its initial release. Murdock started out singing gospel music in her native Toledo.
Singer/musician Roger Troutman hired Murdock as a backing singer for his family"s band Zapp, which had several hits on Warner Brothers
(and its Reprise Records imprint). Based on this success, Troutman began recording tracks with Murdock and lead singer Sugarfoot of the Ohio Players, among others, at his Dayton-based recording studio, Troutman Sound laboratories
Murdock and Troutman"s first chart single was a Warner Brothers single issued as Roger (featuring Shirley Murdock), "Girl, Cut lieutenant Out", which charted at number 79 Rhythm & Blues in early 1985. Then came her signature hit, "As We Lay", written by Zapp"s Larry Troutman and keyboardist Billy Beck (of the Ohio Players).
The tender, melancholy ballad made it to the Rhythm & Blues Top Ten in 1986 and peaked at number 23 popular and number 21 on the adult contemporary chart in early 1987.
In early 2000, Murdock toured in the inspirational/gospel play Be Careful What You Pray Foreign with Cuba Gooding, Senior and David Peaston. Murdock released Home, her gospel-music debut album, in 2002 on Technical Director Jakes" Dexterity Sounds record label. She made her acting debut in the movie Sweating in the Spirit.
Most recently, Murdock has signed with Tyscot Records and released her most recent album in March 2007.
In 2009, Murdock collaborated with Teena Marie on the song "Soldier", from Marie"s album Congo Square. She also appeared in the 2009 stage play A Mother"s Prayer, with Johnny Gill, Robin Givens, and Jermaine Crawford.
