To the naysayers who told Tim Murdoch – who was born with Cerebral Palsy – that he’d never make it in the music industry, well he’s about to release his ninth single and has just collaborated with five-time ARIA award-winner Rick Price.
Canberra-born-and-bred Tim was “bullied mercilessly” at school and his teachers told him that music wasn’t a good occupation for him. But now, the full-time muso has a bachelor’s degree in composition and production and a seven-year residency in Sydney under his belt.
“My parents were told that music’s not a good thing for Tim,” he said. “He’s never going to achieve anything in that area. I’ve been told that all my life.”
When Tim finished his Year 12 studies, he embarked on a 17-year-long busking journey out the front of Westfield at Woden, Westfield Belconnen and Civic, playing keyboard and singing. Every single day – rain, hail or shine.
“It was just a hard slog, and that’s kind of been the story of my whole life,” Tim said. “I’ve never looked at my disability as a disadvantage, but when I was busking, people would ask, ‘What’s this guy doing?’ A gift that I have is just tenacity and determination.”
While he was busking, Tim started releasing his own music and raising money for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance. Suddenly, he’s starring on ABC television’s Stateline, local news bulletins and newspapers – even though his promotional budget was zero.
Getting that taste of fame at 21 years of age, Tim decided he needed a manager, so he looked for the biggest ad in the paper, which was local promoter Laing Entertainment (which has managed the likes of Kasey Chambers and Daryl Braithwaite).
Let the name-dropping begin. In the ‘90s, Tim was asked to be the support act for Australian singer Wendy Matthews at the Southern Cross Club and later, ARIA-award winner Rick Price.
“I played at the Rick Price gig and performed about half a dozen original songs,” Tim said. “Rick Price told the audience that night, ‘That guy Tim, he’s going to be a hell of a songwriter one day.’”
Fast-forward to 2024, 51-year-old Tim and Rick Price are best mates and they’ve just collaborated on a new single, That’s What Love Can Do, due for release on 6 September.
“Rick Price is trying to open up doors for me because he spends three months of the year in Australia and nine months in Nashville,” Tim said. “The people that have played on this single – we had Sheryl Crow’s drummer and Garth Brooks’ bass player.”
It’s little wonder that Tim has been chosen to be a disability advocate for the upcoming Canberra Disability Expo. His entire modus operandi is: “To prove to people that anything’s possible”.
“I got physio up until the time I was 15 and then it was 1988 and they basically said to me, look, we think we’ve done everything we can so just get on with life,” Tim said.
“There have been venues that don’t have disability access, so I need to work with support workers like the NDIS. The analogy that I always use is that nobody buys Stevie Wonder’s music because he’s blind. Either your music is good or it’s not good. It doesn’t matter whether people with disabilities are doing music or whatever their passion is. If, in spite of their disability, they’ve got passion and drive and ability in whatever dream they choose, they can achieve things.”
After living in Canberra for 37 years, Tim relocated to Sydney where he performs about 50 to 70 shows a year. His stage name is TJ James and you check out his music at tjjames.com.au.
“It’s an honour and a joy and a privilege for me to hopefully inspire other people with disabilities about what’s possible,” he said.
The Canberra Disability Expo is a one-stop shop for disability services, bringing together vital services and providers to connect clients and carers. The expo is 6-7 September, 9am-3pm, at EPIC. For more, visit canberradisabilityexpo.com.au.
