Redd Volkaert & Jim Murphy Live

Jay Hudson · Post by **Jay Hudson** » 18 Jul 2015 5:26 am

Redd Volkaert & Big Jim Murphy Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72m4eV-Er5I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b5qW0L-7_w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMbvshsd29U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvonApgwq1M

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 18 Jul 2015 5:39 am

Great stuff...thanks for sharing that.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 18 Jul 2015 7:38 am

Excellent!!!
What kind of amp was Jim using?
I see he was playing a Bethel steel.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 18 Jul 2015 8:30 am

I got a chance to play that Bethel steel for a few hours when it was getting some repairs. Very much a Sho-Bud sound on steroids with super smoother mechanics. The amp looks a lot like a Randall Steelman 500:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=138060

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 18 Jul 2015 9:52 am

Thanks for sharing, that is great!

Kind Regards, Walter

Joe Goldmark · Post by **Joe Goldmark** » 18 Jul 2015 11:53 am

I saw Redd at the airport one time, and Cindy Cashdollar was on steel.

These videos are a clinic for steel and guitar.

Joe

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 18 Jul 2015 12:33 pm

Joe Goldmark: "These videos are a clinic for steel and guitar." This was exactly my first thought: "How to Play Backup C-6th."

And speaking of Billy Dee - they're reopening Skull's Rainbow Room:

http://nashville.eater.com/2015/6/5/873 ... -nashville

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 18 Jul 2015 2:21 pm

they were an iconic pair, Redd and Jim, check out Redds Telewacker CD if you don't already have it. Great playing by both. RIP Jim...

And yeah the vids are awesome !

Redd V · Post by **Redd V** » 18 Jul 2015 9:43 pm

I miss that guy big time!
He played so good it was hard to sing and play,
I wanted to just shut up & listen to him the whole gig, every gig.

He was such an inspiration and a mentor to me in much more than just music.
His talent speaks for itself, and I can't say enough about him as a great person.

I love you Murph!
Redd

PS I still have that Randall amp

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 19 Jul 2015 3:54 am

man that is some great stuff.

p.w

Richard Keller · Post by **Richard Keller** » 19 Jul 2015 4:15 am

Great steel player. Talk about blazing fast.

Jack Harper · Post by **Jack Harper** » 19 Jul 2015 6:36 am

man, ....
I needed this. I needed a pick me up. I thought 4 songs from redd & murph' might help a little.
didn't know it was 4 shows of a series.
wow, just unbelievable.
thanks so much for the ride....

country....

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 19 Jul 2015 8:49 am

Two nice Cuts from Big Jim Murphy from the old days with Carl Smith's Tunesmiths and some great Sax playing by Jim also:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Samples/27%20Track%2027.mp3

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Samples/26%20Track%2026.wma

Dave Grothusen · Post by **Dave Grothusen** » 19 Jul 2015 3:32 pm

Great picking. I was wondering if the Jim Murphy with Red was the Big Jim Murphy, Wally's brother.
Greg your post cleared that up. Back in the 60's when Mack Sanders owned KFRM radio, in Kansas, he used that version of My Mothers Eyes for his theme song. It took me awhile to make the connection to Wade Rays' song. It was such a jazzy version. Great song either way.
Thanks for this post.

Ron Funk · Post by **Ron Funk** » 19 Jul 2015 3:47 pm

Glad I never flew thru that airport.........I'd have surely missed my connecting flight.

Fantastic

Thanks for the post.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 19 Jul 2015 4:03 pm

Best music on the tube. Redd and Jim are a match. I can't get enough of this real music. Thanks guys.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 19 Jul 2015 4:38 pm

I met Jim firs time years ago, must have been around 1998 or 1999 down town Nashville...I was just walking around lower Broadway listening different bands, when we got closer to "Legends Corner" I heard some amazing steel playing coming from the bar, I didn't know who Jim was, never heard of him before, I immediately walked inside the club to see who is playing, he was playing his "Bethel" D10, and I stayed there watching him for the rest of the night... after his band was done it was our turn, I set up my steel, and had a chance to talk to Jim for a minute, he asked me if I was a steel player, and I said no, I said you are a steel player, I'm just messing around, I don't know how to play that thing... we started playing, and Jim and few other guys were watching the band from the balcony at the back side of the club, when they were leaving the club, while he was going by me, Jim looked at me, smiled, and said, "you are a player, you know how to play"... I think I was 10 feet tall and bullet proof at that moment.... great guy, I met him few more times later on, few times at the "Long Hollow Jamboree" , couple times at the NTSGA meetings in Rivergate by Nashville...he was always smiling, and always in a good mood, I loved the man, you can tell he was a genuine good person, and of course, an amazing musician on top of that... I have to say, I would never recognize him without his beard, and if you didn't say that was him on those videos, i would have never guessed it... unless I noticed that "leaf" on his Bethel, lol... I didn't have chance to get to know Jim too well, but what I know, I miss ...

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 20 Jul 2015 4:01 am

Great Music!!!! Big Jim has been a favorite of mine for LONG time...and Red, is as good as it gets...... Great Find!!!!.....big Jim has that Chalker fell, Love it!!!!!!!!!!!

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 20 Jul 2015 4:39 am

Here's Praguefrank's discography for the Carl Smith and the Tunesmith's Columbia sides Greg Cutshaw posted above. They cut "Big Murphy" twice.

20 March 1970 Columbia Recording Studio, 804 16th Ave. South, Nashville, TN â€“ Carl Smith and Tunesmiths (Producer: Don Law)
374 NCO 101390 MY MOTHER'S EYES 4-45262
375 NCO 101391 BIG MURPHY 4-45262

ca. March/May 1970 Columbia Recording Studio, 804 16th Ave. South, Nashville, TN â€“ Carl Smith and Tunesmiths (Producer: Don Law)
376 PICK ME UP ON YOUR WAY DOWN C-30215
377 WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME C-30215
378 TAKE THESE CHAINS FROM MY HEART C-30215
379 I KNOW YOU'RE MARRIED (BUT I LOVE YOU STILL) C-30215
380 HEART OVER MIND C-30215
381 BONAPARTE'S RETREAT C-30215
382 ROSE OF OL' PAWNEE C-30215
383 I'M SO AFRAID OF LOSING YOU AGAIN C-30215
384 FADED LOVE AND WINTER ROSES C-30215
385 NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW C-30215
386 BIG MURPHY C-30215

Here's the Tunesmiths and Big Jim Murphy and "Red Door" cut 3/30/71:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PIrGV7zsis

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 20 Jul 2015 5:48 am

Wade Ray sang a super slow version of My Mother's Eyes in St. Louis circa 1982 and at that time I never reaized that it was the same song the Jim was playing.

I saw Ben Marney (sp??) play steel with Johnny Paycheck and he played the fast version of My Mothers Eyes as a theme song. Many of his riffs were similar to Jim/Wally and he nailed the speed and volume pedal gutting quite well. Almost a Jim Murphy clone.

When Hank Thompson played Grand Island, NY he had a 4 piece band with drums, bass, Hank and Jim. Jim played all the Travis guitar parts and nailed the Hankisms as well as Bob White, Bobby Garrett or Peewee. Jim's style was totally different than what you would hear him doing behind Paycheck. There were a total of 3 people in the bowling alley at that show and with the steel doing all the lead parts there was a lot to hear! The year for that show was 1971.

Pat Moore · Post by **Pat Moore** » 20 Jul 2015 5:09 pm

Man, it doesn't get any better than that! Thanks for this post. I met Big Jim only once, and was in awe of him back then, and I'm still in awe of my friend Redd.
Thanks again! Can't get enough!
Jim was The Master of the Pedalblaster &
Redd IS The Master of the Telecaster!
Pat

BTW, I woulda missed my flight too!

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 21 Jul 2015 11:30 am

Just unbelievably good - so enjoyable! Had the pleasure of meeting him when my band opened for Asleep at the Wheel at the Boulder Theater. He and Ray were admiring my Fender 1000 and Jim asked me if I wanted to sell it. Being as you can't just go down to Walmart and pick one up I had to decline. Nicest guy you'd ever want to meet and he found a way to say something encouraging about my playing.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 22 Jul 2015 3:05 pm

I have Ray Harrison sing "My Mother's Eyes" with me when I do steel shows that Ray is attending. It's a beautiful ballad with a sweet message.

Like many steelers before them, Murph and others turned the progression of "MME" into a tour-de-force of hot picking, but it's not the message of the song.

That said, Murph was an amazing player and a fun guy to hang around with, as the James Hand Band (with your humble correspondent) opened for Heybale with Murph for a couple of years, every Sunday night. I considered it getting paid to take a lesson from a master.

Tony Smart · Post by **Tony Smart** » 30 Jul 2015 2:14 pm

His style always reminds me of Julian Tharpe - and vice versa.
Great player, thanks for the clips.

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Redd Volkaert & Jim Murphy Live

Redd Volkaert & Jim Murphy Live

Maaaan . . . .

big jim & redd

Redd & Jim