Blue Sky Night Thunder (Epic KE 33290, 1975) is Michael Martin Murphey's commercial breakthrough, recorded and produced by Bob Johnston. The sessions feature Jerry Mills (mandolin), John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (banjo), Jeff Hanna (background vocals), Michael McKinney (bass), Sam Broussard, and Richard Dean (guitars). The album went gold on the strength of "Wildfire" — a haunting ballad about a woman and her ghost horse that climbed to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of 1975's biggest pop-country crossover hits. "Carolina in the Pines" charted as a second single. The Dirt Band sidemen give the record a loose cosmic-country texture consistent with the Austin roots-rock scene of that era.
Tracklist
- 1 Wildfire alt version 5:29
- 2 Carolina in the Pines alt version 3:58
- 3 Desert Rat 3:55
- 4 Wild Bird 2:25
- 5 Blue Sky Riding Song 3:34
- 6 Medicine Man 3:52
- 7 Secret Mountain Hideout 4:01
- 8 Without My Lady There 2:36
- 9 Night Thunder 2:48
- 10 Rings of Life 3:21