Pat Murphy was born in Nashville, Arkansas. His family moved to Austin, TX when he was 2 years old. He attended Rosewood Elementary School and L.C. Anderson High School. He received his B.A. Degree in Music, from Huston-Tillotson College in 1954. Pat joined the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. Upon his discharge from the Army, he returned to Austin and began working at the U.S. Post Office where he served in numerous supervisory positions for 33 years, until his retirement in 1989.
Pat had a great love for music. He played saxophone in the L.C. Anderson High School Band and in the Huston-Tillotson University Band while also singing in the Hustin-Tillotson choir. Pat also an instructor, teaching the saxophone to young aspiring musicians in the Austin community. Music was an avocation as he played in many musical groups around the Austin area, the most notable being “James Polk & The Brothers” playing the baritone sax (1960-1970s). He also toured in Texas with the Freddie King Band in the early 1970s, and also performed with “The Thomas Kincheon Big Band.”
Pat was an active supporter and promoter of Jazz and served on the first board of directors of the Austin Jazz Workshop. Due to Pat's love of music he took a position on the board at radio station KAZI, the Community radio station called "The Voice & Soul of Austin". A saxophone belonging to Pat has been donated to the Texas Music Museum by his wife Harriet for display at the museum. For the past 2 years, a music scholarship has been established at Huston-Tillotson University, for two students each year, in the name of Patrick and Harriet Murphy. He died March 29, 2013.