Daniel K. Murphy, Sr., 69, of Redlands, California, formerly of Newport, died on October 25, 2021 at his home after a long illness. He was the son of the late John Quinlan and Kathleen Gray Murphy. He was married to the former Linda C. Dugan for 38 years.

In 2018, Dan retired as professor emeritus of the University of Redlands School of Music in CA where he taught jazz studies, improvisation and music education courses for 28 years. As a jazz pianist, he performed extensively on the East Coast and throughout Southern California.

Growing up in Newport, Dan played Little League on the Newport Electric Company’s team “The Watts”; swam at the Boys’ Club and took a trophy or two; played bass guitar with the local band “The Night Shift”; and won surfing competitions with the Newport Surfing Association in the New England Surfing Championships in the late 60s. He attended the Newport schools Cranston Calvert Elementary School, Thompson Junior High, and De La Salle Academy. He was a 1971 Rogers High School graduate. Over the years, he enjoyed the trails at The Norman Bird Sanctuary and walked the family dog and fished off the rocks at Sachuest Point in Middletown.

At the age of 21, Dan purchased and restored a wooden Alden ketch and operated a chartering business out of Newport Harbor. He took guests out for the day aboard his boat, Orpheus, to watch the America’s Cup Races and raced her in the annual Museum of Yachting’s Classic Yacht Regatta. During the 70s, Dan also worked as a pilot boat captain out of Newport Harbor and was a member of the Northeast Marine Pilots Association.

Dan earned a Bachelor of Music degree at Hartt School of Music in Hartford, CT and Master of Music degree at the University of Rhode Island. In 1985, he was awarded a Doctor of Music Education degree…