About Joaquin Murphy....................

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 17 Oct 2009 7:59 pm

I know he played with Spade Cooley, Tex Williams,
Smokey Rogers, Roy Rogers, Anne Jones and countless others as well.

Any chance any of you know whether or not he played on the record by Doris Day and a male trio?

Didn't he play with Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters on one or more records? How about it? Share your knowledge with me, okay?

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 18 Oct 2009 3:29 pm

A friendly FORUMITE was kind enough to communicate with me that the steel player in question was in reality Freddie Taveras.

What a really great player he was.

Anybody have more history on this great player?

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 18 Oct 2009 3:46 pm

I believe it's spelled Tavares, and that he's commonly credited with having designed the the body shape of the Fender Stratocaster (with Leo Fender looking over his shoulder), and with playing the opening steel gliss on the "Looney Tunes" cartoon theme (maybe the most heard steel part ever?).

Might be wrong on any or all of those points but that's what I've always heard...

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 18 Oct 2009 3:51 pm

Coming from such a great guy, the likes of you, I'd consider your info' to be gospel. THANK YOU!

He's one player you don't hear much about here on the FORUM. WHY is that?

Over the years, his "Looney Tunes" contribution, likely got more plays that has SLEEP WALK.

Was his playing days short-lived?

Did he have a great day job that caused him to defer?

Michael Strauss · Post by **Michael Strauss** » 18 Oct 2009 3:58 pm

FYI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Tavares

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 18 Oct 2009 4:01 pm

I'd consider your info' to be gospel

Well, thanks, but I don't really think that's generally a good idea!

Did he have a great day job that caused him to defer?

Well... he did work for Fender back when they were developing the instruments and amps we've been playing ever since!

Seriously, I'm sure there's many folks here that know a lot more than I do on the subject (though they might be more likely to be hanging out in the "steel without pedals" section...).

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 18 Oct 2009 4:04 pm

HI RAY,

HERE IS SOME INFORMATION ON JOAQUIN.

ROGER

-----------------------------------------------------

Joaquin Murphy

Biography
Earl "Joaquin" Murphey was a child prodigy of the lap-steel guitar who, as a teenager, was discovered and promptly enlisted by Spade Cooley's band.

Although his sophisticated measuring out of chords and labyrinthine single-string runs might perhaps be standard operating procedure for the modern pedal steel guitarist, at the time of Murphey's professional debut it was pretty hot stuff, especially for the much more basic lap steel. For a country boy to play lap steel with the influences of swing jazzmen such as Benny Goodman or Django Reinhardt could have smacked of the city slicker in drag, but then again, this was the Western swing era, and cowboys were allowed to bebop.

While cooling with Cooley, Murphey contributed outstanding solos on features such as "Three Way Boogie" and the oil-splattered "Oklahoma Stomp." On the Country Routes live recording entitled Live at the Santa Monica Pier and Riverside Rancho, Murphy positively cooks on versions of tunes such as "Miss Molly," "Cattle Call," and the provocative "Gals Don't Mean a Thing."

In the cowboy vocal group Andy Parker and the Plainsmen, Murphey's featured solos included a cover of the Fats Waller classic "Honeysuckle Rose," and a "Sweet Georgia Brown" that is usually stashed away somewhere in every pedal steel player's treasure chest.

Murphey also did some recording on pedal steel guitar, but his reputation was formed from the mid-'40s onward, before he ever approached the pedal instrument. His loyalty to the little lap steel was fierce, and there were reports that he was still playing it in the late '50s while a member of the Buddy Ray band, at a time when just about every other player had switched up to the newfangled pedal steel. He contributed unique personality to solo spots on recordings by T. Texas Tyler, Roy Rogers, Smokey Rogers, and Tex Williams, playing on the latter artist's version of the Western swing warhorse "Steel Guitar Rag."

Pedal steel giants such as Buddy Emmons, Speedy West, and Vance Terry have singled Murphey out as an important influence in their own jazz and swing enhancements.

Murphey was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1980, but recorded only one album after the '50s. This was the production eventually released under the title of Murph, a labor of love for producer Mike Johnstone of the Class Act label.
This disc features 15 tracks recorded between 1996 and 1999, using a custom-built, single-neck, nine-string guitar with six pedals -- and if that isn't enough, there is also a recorded interview with Murphey.

Instead of pursuing a more active recording career, he spent a large hunk of his career in Southern California working with dance bands. He died in the late '90s from complications caused by cancer. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 18 Oct 2009 4:17 pm

That info on Joaquin is not entirely correct... he recorded an album for Scotty's "Mid-land Records" in Nashville in 1976 on a single-neck Sho-bud (with Buddy Emmons on bass!). I saw him play that guitar in St Louis in '77 (a real high point for sure!).

I don't know how much of the rest of the article is accurate, but I did a double take when I saw who wrote it; has anyone ever heard Eugene Chadbourne's music? That is one "out there" guy...! Never thought of him as a steel historian but you never know...

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 18 Oct 2009 4:45 pm

MICHAEL.........thanks for the referral to the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Assn., FORUM.

Even if it was 2006, it was certainly nice to once again read some of Rick Aiello's comments. I have always felt he was a real dynamic voice for our kind of music and steel guitar.

How is Mr. Aiello doing? Hope he is happy and well.

The background on Freddie was fabulous!

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 18 Oct 2009 6:38 pm

I'd disagree on two relatively minor points in Mr. Chadbourne's bio of Murph... and these ARE minor, but because I'm such a fan of Murph's, talked to him numerous times, etc....

I wouldn't call JM a "country boy," per se. He was born in Hollywood CA, which even in 1924 was not a hillbilly town. Also, though he received 1/4 writer's credit for "Three-Way Boogie," I don't recall any version of the tune that he took a solo on. He only played a high harmony to Smokey and Smilin' Johnny's guitar part. The solos were the guitars, Pedro's or Bamby's accordion (depending on the version), Eddie Bennett's or Ossie's piano, and the fiddles.

I think I really must admit to being a Cooley/Caravan geek/nerd to get technical like that, but I've got almost everything Cooley and Tex recorded, and a great deal of the Plainsmen's stuff as well.

Yep, I'm a geek.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 18 Oct 2009 6:42 pm

Freddie Tavares was the main man in Fender's shop for all those wonderous years, without whom Fender would be much less the iconic brand it enjoys today.

He's quite possibly the most underappreciated person in America's musical history.

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 18 Oct 2009 7:06 pm

Well Herb if you are going to call yourself a 'Geek' I'd say that's a pretty classy thing to be a 'geek' about!

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 19 Oct 2009 5:45 am

A native of Hollywood, he was born Earl Murphey in 1923 and took up the steel guitar as a teenager. He auditioned for a position with Spade Cooley in late 1943 and amazed the listening musicians with his youthful virtuosity.
I heard Murph was part Apache Indian.......anyone know? Could be someone wanted to claim him.

?????????? Freddie Tavares?????????? I don't recall hearing anything that I knew was Freddie. I didn't follow "Hawaian Music" .......could be why.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 19 Oct 2009 5:53 am

FWIW, Freddie's brother Ernie Tavares was also an excellent musician, who played steel with T. Texas Tyler, among others. Around the same time as Freddie, mid-40's - early to mid-50's.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 19 Oct 2009 9:55 am

I heard Murph was part Apache Indian.......anyone know? Could be someone wanted to claim him.

Are you kidding? Red headed Murph? Aww bejaysus now! No - Earl James Murphey was a full blooded leprechaun thru and thru. The only common trait there would be maybe a fondness for firewater.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 19 Oct 2009 11:21 am

MJ
I don't know if Murph was a Native American, but he did, as far as I know, speak the language.

I asked him one time what he thought of the E9 tuning and his reply was "Ugh!"

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 19 Oct 2009 11:07 pm

HELLO MICHAEL,

Please give us some info on Joaquin's last PSG, made by CHAS SMITH......

I believe it was a S-9 w/ 6 pedals

ROGER

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 19 Oct 2009 11:43 pm

How do you spell Murph's name? I believe the Hall of Fame plaque is spelled Murphy. The reproduced badge on the front of the T-8 says Murphy. A personalized photo to someone named Moe says Murphy. And the Murph D-8 lap steel is signed Murphey.
Which is it?

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 20 Oct 2009 4:47 am

Chris
The correct spelling is Murphey. According to my friend Michael Martin Murphey, it means "potato" in Gaelic, but I have no personal knowledge of this.

The incidences of misspelling Murph's last name is only exceeded by the misspellings of his first name.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 20 Oct 2009 7:13 am

Herb, was the name "Joaquin" a Spade Cooley idea like Carolina Cotton?

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 20 Oct 2009 7:44 pm

I believe that might very well be MOE KABIR of the U.K.

He visited with Joaquin a short time prior to his passing, if my memory serves me correctly.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 20 Oct 2009 8:24 pm

was the name "Joaquin" a Spade Cooley idea like Carolina Cotton?

Yup. All the guys in the band had to have a nickname that sounded "western" or "cowboy". "Spike", "Muddy", "Cactus", "Jaoquin" - get it? That carried on to a few years later in the late 50s when "Smokey" Rogers was playing down in San Diego and Murph finally called it a day. They got some new young guy in town to replace Murph and he had to have a nickname as well so Smokey christened him "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 20 Oct 2009 8:45 pm

Chris
I have an autographed photo from Murph, and the sig looks like "Murphey" to me.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 20 Oct 2009 11:07 pm

That autographed pic is indeed for my buddy Moe Kabir in UK, I think it ended up here and into the book because Moe emailed it to me and I forwarded it to Andy and the person who bought Joaquin's Bigsby. The original badge on the guitar says "Murphy", so if it's a mispelling, it was by Bigsby.

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 21 Oct 2009 9:33 am

Roger, some day I'll take some better pics of the guitar. I've always disliked the large name plate, but Sean, who did the graphics, insisted that it be that size. Of interest, the neck and the top plate are machined as one piece and the changer and keyhead, "wrap-around" the end plates.

The Steel Guitar Forum

About Joaquin Murphy....................

About Joaquin Murphy....................

Once again, the FORUM comes thro'...............

Mighty BIG THANK YOU.........................

Re: Mighty BIG THANK YOU.........................

Joaquin Murphy

Great historical stuff therein...........

Joaquin's Last Psg?

About the autographed photo.........to MOE