What possible combination out there is better than raw music and the midwest wilderness? 

Two juniors at Prior Lake High School, Max Symington and Lukas Knudsen, have banded together to pick some strings. They go by the name “Murphy Boys.”

The group is known for their social media videos where they perform covers of different country or bluegrass music amid scenic backdrops of the Murphy Hanrehan Park Reserve, hence the name “Murphy Boys.”

Although both play guitar, they each have unique roles in the group. Lukas is the vocalist and main guitarist, and Max is the banjoist. While they both ended up in the Murphy Boys, they each have a unique story to tell about their journeys with music.

When discussing what got him into music, Lukas said, “Well, I’ve been in choir for most of my life.” 

However, he hadn’t picked up the guitar until one day he witnessed his older brother playing his father’s guitar. “Over the next couple years, I just taught myself how to play,” Lukas said.

Unlike Lukas, Max never took any musical classes or lessons. 

While he’s always had a guitar at his house, he said he “never really started playing until around last May.” 

Even though his experience with the guitar isn’t the most unique, his story with the banjo is nothing short of amazing.

Max credits his banjo obsession to two main things, saying, “The mutated hillbilly in Butcher Creek from Red Redemption 2 oddly enough really inspired me to start my banjo career, as well as the dueling banjos scene from the movie Deliverance,” he said. 

Before the Murphy Boys started, Max and Lukas would often talk about two of their interests: the outdoors and music. However, it wasn’t until October of last year that they decided to combine the music with a scenic backdrop. 

Originally, the “Murphy Boys” title wasn’t even created until the making of their first video. According to Max and Lukas, they came up with the name on the spot. “After that, it just stuck,” Lukas said. 

While they’re still a small group, they’ve got big hopes for the future. As of now, the Murphy Boys have still only done covers of songs, but Lukas and Max want to change that. 

“We would like to shift into writing our own pieces and more original stuff,” Lukas said. “We would definitely like to have a venue or play in front of people, too.” 

Right now, Max and Lukas say, “it’s not like we’re professionals. We’re just two guys who like to play some good music.” 

With continued support from peers, family, coaches, and other groups, they feel optimistic about the future of the Murphy Boys. 

According to Lukas, “It’s still early, but it would be awesome to make something of it.”

Check out the Murphy Boys on social media if you would like to see any of their videos and listen to them play. 

@the_murphy_boys_ on Instagram and @Murphyboys6 on Tiktok.