Bastards of Soul’s story is one filled with triumph, redemption, but unfortunately, mostly tragedy. As they release the last recordings that were completed shortly before the sudden passing of frontman Chadwick Murray in September of 2021, the Dallas soul band’s catalog of original music is deeply felt and laced with joy and sorrow. But above all, it showcases Murray’s undeniable talent and the band’s locked-in musical bonhomie.
Their genesis dates back to the early 2010s, with bassist Danny Balis and keyboardist Chad Stockslager kicking around the idea of bringing together a soul group after years of gigging in the scene. Murray, an acquaintance and a well-known Dallas-area bassist, was recommended by a mutual friend off the strength of his surprising singing chops.
“We knew him as a bass player, but none of us knew he could sing soul music,” guitarist Chris Holt explains.
With Holt and traps player Matt Trimble rounding out the group, Bastards of Soul started jamming on covers in earnest in 2015, honing their chops together for a full year before making their debut at Balis’ venue The Twilite Lounge. From there it was off to the races as Bastards of Soul began building plenty of buzz in Dallas and beyond.
Their first album Spinnin’ saw release in early 2020 to immediate acclaim, showcasing their ability to craft original tunes that sounded timeless and modern all at once. After the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the U.S., Bastards of Soul promotional and tour plans were shelved so they began work on what would become their second album, Corners. They worked remotely, sending demos back and forth until it was safe to be together in the studio again.
“We were suddenly put in the position where we couldn’t work together like we worked before, and Chadwick’s health concerns prohibited him from being in the room with us,” Stockslager explains while citing Murray’s battle with type 1 diabetes.
With the state of things politically in a divided country fueling material rooted in anxiety, uncertainty and distrust – all themes not as prominent on the much lighter Spinnin’, Corners took a much different shape that only intensified when the band was hit with a devastating tragedy.
While the final days of mixing were being finished on their second album, Murray was admitted to the hospital with a rare autoimmune disease that also coincided with the days leading up to the birth of his first child.
“None of us thought there was anything wrong, and he was really excited about what was coming,” recalls Holt.
Just one week after his son was welcomed to the world, Chadwick passed peacefully surrounded by his family. The entire DFW music community was devastated by this horrifying loss.
“One of the many wonderful things was how he connected with people—sharing that energy and excitement with fans and listeners,” Hannah Murray remembers while discussing her late husband’s passion for performing and touching the lives of those around him. “He loved it.”
The remaining members of the band and Eastwood Music Group see it as their duty to make sure they can get his music to as many people as possible and continue to stay dedicated to that endeavor. Chadwick’s joyous approach to singing still inspires and will continue to do so in these recordings.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the band’s video for their powerful track “It’s Gonna Be Alright,” some of the last recordings with Chadwick on vocals that will be featured on their 2023 album Give It Right Back. The studio sessions were filmed by director team Paul Levatino, Jeremy Word, and co cinematographer Zack Tzourtzouklis during a recording that was captured on analog tape in July of 2021 at The Echo Lab. The video captures the chemistry and companionship between these musicians with a soundtrack that lets Chadwick’s smooth and soulful vocals soar over swinging instrumentals to make for a rich full band sound.
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