Written by Kerrie Alexander
You don’t need research to back that music can relieve stress, reduce anxiety and improve your mood.
Yoshi from Planet Sound Labs, soloist Guy Murray and his support worker Josh are all the proof you need!
Yoshi – a self-taught multi-instrumentalist – opened his small studio in Hervey Bay in 2022 with a vision to allow people of all abilities to feel comfortable, enjoy and progress with music.
Working primarily alongside those with disabilities, Yoshi is well-known around the local music scene for his passion in recording, teaching, and building confidence to help overcome physical burdens.
Hevey Bay’s Guy Murray was born with cerebral palsy which affects movement and posture.
Still, the 34-year-old has forged on with his dream of becoming a professional country rock artist but until now had never found the right “people” to make that aspiration a reality.
Singing is an outlet for Guy who has not only battled his disorder, but has fought cancer, endured relationship breakdowns, the loss of loved ones closest to him and even experienced homelessness when he first moved to Hervey Bay four years ago.
“I’ve had a lot of struggles, and it has taken me a long time to get here and find the people to help me do it,” Guy said.
“Now that I have found them, I have the inspiration to start doing gigs and getting more people to listen to my music.
“I look forward to every Monday and Friday when I get to hang out with the guys, putting my music together and having some laughs.”
Guy said Yoshi and Josh have inspired him to be the best possible version of himself and a role model for his eight-year-old daughter, all through the love of music.
“Yoshi and Josh are my biggest supporters,” Guy said.
“My support workers are like my family. Without them I wouldn’t be able to achieve what I’m doing now because they are all a big part of it.”
“It’s taken me a long time to get my voice right and to get comfortable singing.
“Getting on stage was hard when I first started, with people looking at me but now it just comes naturally.”
In the past four years Guy has written 20 songs and recorded three albums including ‘Home Town’ and a remastering of his first album ‘Scars and Guitars’ which features an emotional tribute titled Fly Away to his baby brother who died of SIDS at just six months old.
Yoshi backed the track up by filming, producing and editing a high-quality film clip using the Botanic Gardens in Urangan as the country-themed backdrop.
His new album ‘Scars and Guitars Remastered’ has just been released.
“I wrote most of the songs about my family, growing up and my daughter,” Guy said.
“I just fell into this and haven’t looked back.
“It’s been fantastic for me to do music, chill out and make it fun again.”
With the help of his support team, Guy owns and operates Guy Murray Music and can be seen singing and selling his merchandise at the region’s markets.
He’s currently developing a website and runs the Guy Murray Music Facebook page.
Now that he has found the right people, Guy said he’s putting more energy into getting his music heard with performances at the All-Abilities Ball and FestAble at Seafront Oval last month.
“I have had some help setting up my business so it can grow and from there I’ve taken my music to YouTube and Spotify.
“I’m just trying to get my music out there for people to listen to. That’s always a challenge as an independent artist.
“I want to try and break through that barrier to get my music known and I would also love to start doing some more live shows.
“I just want to create music and make people smile and be happy.”
Guy said music is for people of all abilities, you just have to be committed and open to learning new things.
“Don’t let people tell you that you can’t do it.
“It’s not hard to create music but you have to be dedicated.”
