Minnie Murphy
Appearances
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Yeah, thanks for having me.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Well, my sister Jamie invited me to do it, and I have a son that's five, and he's on the spectrum, and so it just made total sense, you know? Oh, okay. I love to support everybody that's going through that and the research with autism, and yeah, so I'm just happy to be here and share some music and have a good night.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
That's what they've diagnosed him with.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
He's five.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Yeah. It's not something that I fully understand. I mean, I don't even really believe it, to be honest. To me, he's just a regular kid, and I guess he has some sort of behavioral things that are equated with autism. He'll... Organize things line things up and kind of he's really into trains and straight lines and sometimes he'll get in the zone with that but he's a great singer and
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Like, even if you are singing a song in one key and then you change the key, he'll follow you. He's got perfect pitch and he's got an incredible memory. So I've heard that, you know, people call it a superpower. And so I'm just going to embrace that, you know, and I think it's important that we, in general with children,
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
get rid of these ideas of milestones and when people are supposed to attain certain things with their development. So for me, I feel like tonight is about... Celebrating people's individuality and their authenticity and their own pace.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
And just cultivating a supportive environment for the uniqueness of each person.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Mm-hmm. Yeah, and I chose to sing two original songs as well as the Doobie Brothers' Long Train Run, just because that's a fun one, you know, without love, you know, where would we be now? But the first song is called Do You, and that's just all about staying true to yourself and leaving your beauty mark that sets you apart is one of the lines, and... I just feel like that was a great message.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
And then the other song I sang is called Beauty Hunter and I dedicated that to my son and that was hard for me to get through. I didn't want to cry, but I just feel like When someone is different and special, like on the autism spectrum or just children in general or everybody for that matter, we all have our unique perspective.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
And he points out the beauty in life. And, you know, and it'll be, you know, little tiny things that he will show me. And so that's what Beauty Hunter is about.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Thanks.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Mm hmm. Yeah, they say I reached out to the Autism Centers of America, I think is the name of it, and they had me watch this movie. I'm trying to remember the name of it, but anyway, in the movie, what they do to get on the level of the kid that's autistic is... repeat what they're doing.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
So if they're flapping their hands or they're going back and forth and stimming in a straight line or whatever, do it with them and show that you're supportive of them and you're on their wavelength and then that trust and the anxiety can go away to where they can start to communicate. It's all about communicating. Sometimes my son
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
His little chin will quiver and he might have trouble finding the right words. He's gotten so much better. But I think it's up to us to be patient and show them that it's okay, that we're right there with them and all that.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Yeah, and I do believe that people do improve. It's definitely not something that is permanent. There's therapies, and I think the therapies are always built around patience and just like, you know, being right there with them, with how they're viewing the world.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Totally. I think, you know, it's always great to look at the world through someone else's eyes.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
I mean, I think that's kind of what we just said is such a powerful thing to sort of sit with. I think just being an active listener, you know, and being patient. Yeah. And embracing each other's differences as a good thing and also an opportunity for learning, like you said. Right. I think that's what it's all about.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
And just don't let anybody deter you from the idea that this is a death sentence or some permanent condition because... In the side of everyone is that light, you know, that we all live, that source, that light within that has an infinite potential to grow. And, you know, if we can just let people shine the way that they are.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Understanding Autism Through Music: An Acoustic Evening for a Cause
Yeah, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Yeah, thanks. All right.