Get ready for a magical Cowboy Christmas with the legendary Michael Martin Murphey at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8, 2023, at the New Mexico Museum of Art St. Francis Auditorium.
Experience the enchantment of "Murph's" timeless tunes and holiday cheer!
For three decades, Michael Martin Murphey's Cowboy Christmas has been an extraordinary blend of music, encompassing his numerous best-selling Christmas albums, alongside his beloved country and pop hits. This vibrant holiday celebration takes the form of a captivating multi-media production, featuring Murphey's renowned "Rio Grande Band," dramatic lighting, video, as well as the use of Western Art, captivating master-artist photographs, breathtaking videos, and delightful cowboy poetry. "Michael Martin Murphey's Cowboy Christmas" beautifully captures the rustic essence of the story of Jesus' birth in the countryside village of Bethlehem, where the joyous tidings first reached the humble livestock caretakers and herders, often referred to as "cowboys," over two millennia ago.
Inspired by an 1885 wild-west dance known as the original "Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball" in Anson, Texas, In 1992, Michael introduced a groundbreaking concept album called "Cowboy Christmas," which had never been attempted before in popular Christmas music. This innovative creation became a best-seller and paved the way for five more Cowboy Christmas albums and accompanying DVDs. Today, this remarkable concept has evolved into a grand live musical concert production! Join Michael, the talented members of the Rio Grande Band, and the captivating Rocky Mountain Vintage Dancers for a joyous and heartfelt "Christmas Cowboy-Style" experience.
What others have said about Michael Martin Murphey's Cowboy Christmas
"A holiday tradition" — The Washington Post
"Haunting and shimmering" — The Denver Post
"Mighty guitar pickin' and foot-stompin" — The Los Angeles Times.
"Family-friendly, faith-infused...unabashed nostalgia!" — The Dallas Morning News
"Warms your body like a cup of hot chocolate" — Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
The building was completed in 1917 and is an example pueblo style architecture and one of Santa Fe's best-known representations of the synthesis of Native American and Spanish Colonial design styles.
Stepping into the museum’s lobby, you are greeted by acaptivating blend of history and artistic sophistication. The grandeur of the surrounding architecture of this 117-year-old museum and art is softened by our amazing violinist with modern tunes performed byRachel Kelli on her Stradivarious violin.
"As a seasoned and passionate violinist, I am dedicated to creating captivating musical experiences that elevate special occasions and leave a lasting impression on audiences," Kelli said.
A special reception before the show with Michael Martin Murphey is available to purchasers of the VIP ticket, which includes appetizers, wine & beer and seating in the first two rows of the historic St. Francis Auditorium in downtown Santa Fe. The reception includes a performance by the amazing violinist Rachel Kelli.
VIP reception is from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the museum lobby.
The show will start at 7:30 p.m. in the St. Francis Auditorium.
The New Mexico Museum of Art has an ADA accessible ramp, and the St. Francis Auditorium has two rows of ADA seating available.
About the New Mexico Museum of Art
The New Mexico Museum of Art houses more than 20,000 works of American and European art, including paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, photographs, new media, and conceptual works. The focus of the collection is on American art, with anemphasis on artists working in the Southwest.
The museum is known for its extensive collections of the Taos Society of Artists and Los Cinco Pintores, the five painters who moved to Santa Fe in the 1920s and helped establish the community as a famous art colony. The museum also features an important collection of Georgia O’Keeffe paintings; works by the great woodblock printmaker and painter Gustave Baumann; and American photographers, including the Jane Reese Williams Collection of women photographers.
The New Mexico Museum of Art is the oldest art museum in the state. Built in 1917, the structure itself is a work of art, considered a masterpiece of Pueblo Revival architecture and the best representation of the synthesis of Native American and Spanish Colonial design styles.
