Essential Joaquin Murphy

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 6 Dec 2001 11:41 pm

I was listening to my Tex Williams "On The Air -47-49" cd again last night and thought I'd rave about it a bit here. Since it's a European release and not particularly marketed as a steel album, some of you might not be aware of it. BUT, it does include some of the hottest steel work by JM, and there's alot of it. Joaquin is taking lengthy solos on almost every song and for example Texas Playboy Rag is mindblowin'. These are live radio broadcasts from the 40's and if you have only heard a few studio recorded hits by Cooley and wondered where JM got his reputation, well, here's your answer!
Jussi

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 7 Dec 2001 7:24 am

Jussi
You were born too late. This is common knowledge. The guy was the "best" and in my opinion ,,,still is.
What you heard was the real deal.

None Better than Joaquin.....to this day NONE

Dirk B · Post by **Dirk B** » 7 Dec 2001 11:34 am

It's not common knowledge to me -- most of the Joaquin stuff I'm familiar with is from the Spade Cooley material or the CD's here on the Forum. I wouldn't discourage people who are newer to the music from sharing their enthusiasm and turning some of us onto it.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 7 Dec 2001 12:02 pm

Dirk
Not trying to "discourage" anyone,,,just a fact that,,,most everyone knows how great Joaquin was.

Things can get a bit confusing when they are written out on a PC.

I had no intention of trying in your own words to "discourage" anyone,,,to the contrary...I encourage everyone to hear and love Joaquin Murphey.

I hope this clears that. To hear him is great
and to see him in person was even "greater".

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 7 Dec 2001 12:11 pm

The only JM I have heard is the album that Scotty did many years ago, is there a way to get this CD in the US?

Dirk B · Post by **Dirk B** » 7 Dec 2001 12:21 pm

Jody,
I hear ya. I wish I could'ave seen him.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 7 Dec 2001 1:18 pm

Some search results--all the usual online sources (amazon, CDNow, best buy, etc) list this CD but it seems that NONE of them have it in stock. I have never had good luck back-ordering from online dealers (long delays, a million excuses, no action) so I can't really recommend doing it....although I'm tempted. Average price around $17.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 7 Dec 2001 3:07 pm

Jon
You have a friend in Pennsylvania,,,,send me your snail mail,,,I will copy a tape for you . If you dont have my e mail address let me know,,I will get it to you,,,,

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 7 Dec 2001 3:13 pm

Dirk
No problem,,,,its difficult to express one's
self on the computer,,,never comes out the same as in person...you understand what I mean.

Dirk B · Post by **Dirk B** » 7 Dec 2001 3:52 pm

I agree. I think some of the goofy conflicts that arise here on the Forum are because we don't have the facial expressions & vocal inflections that we have with other forms of communication, and things get blown out of proportion.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 7 Dec 2001 5:11 pm

Jeff
I have a number of video cuts of Joaquin with the Tex Williams band, they are very delicate and I wouldnt know how to make copies,,,,these were done on kinescope I think they called it.

Have others with Noel Boggs and Spade Cooley as well.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 7 Dec 2001 7:21 pm

there are a number of joaquin "soundies" from the mid 40s--with either cooley or tex williams bands. originally on 16mm film, and floating around in the hands of collectors either in the original 16mm format or on vhs.

i think joaquin is in the cooley band as seen in "rockin' in the rockies", a feature film released in early 1945 and starring the 3 stooges and the hoosier hot shots. tex williams sings a hot version of "miss molly" with spade's band. don't know if you can go rent it, but it appears on the tube on rare occasions.

i just picked up the "spade cooley live at the santa monica pier and riverside rancho" cd for about 12 bucks from buy.com. it is not as good as the others in that same series--not as much joaquin and the sound quality is pretty tough to take.

the one must is the "spadella" cd on columbia, released 5 or 6 years ago and still around if you are diligent--in contains a good sampling of spade's columbia output from the 40s, with joaquin taking no prisoners, and good sound quality. virtually any cooley or williams cd you find will have some joaquin on it, but most of the stuff is from transcriptions and airchecks and pretty shaky on sound quality. [This message was edited by Mitch Drumm on 07 December 2001 at 07:27 PM.]

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 7 Dec 2001 9:05 pm

Does anyone know of any video footage that exists of Joaquin? Hearing him is phenomal, but I'd love to SEE him play..

I asked him about his especially fluid technique on 'Chickasaw Gal' and he said it was a lip sync and he was told to just wave his hands over the strings. It was pretty close to the way he played normally.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 7 Dec 2001 10:59 pm

Mitch
Spadella is GREAT. Iam not certain but it may be Noel Boggs on that cut, Chas,,,,what
do you say? Is it Boggs or Joaquin?? you can reach for a "lifeline" and ask M.J.

I saw Joaquin live at the Santa Monica ballroom years ago. Leo Fender and Don Randall took me there to see and hear Spade Cooley...it was then that I met Spade and Joaquin.

One man who could answer this is Bill Carson
long time Fender sales rep and also a west coast musician with Cooley's band. The techinque is different from what Joaquin is known for. Sounds a bit more staccato which is indicative of Noel's style.

Im not an expert,,,but I think it was Noel.
Either one,,,,,they were both GREAT. Now I'll
go back and listen to that all day...hey someone's gotta do it.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 08 December 2001 at 10:35 AM.]

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 8 Dec 2001 1:45 am

I know Jussi and,yes he was born too late

------------------
Olli Haavisto
Polar steeler
Finland

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 8 Dec 2001 7:37 am

You're right, Jon, on-line dealers aren't very dependable when it comes to back-ordering. Why bother with them, though, if they don't have an item in stock? I've always had much better results dealing with flesh-and-blood record stores. A couple of local dealers normally have this CD in stock, so if anyone has a hard time tracking down a copy, email me and I'll see if there are any copies in these parts. No one should be without this album! It's probably my favorite live recording of any description, and Joaquin's playing is just plain scary.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 8 Dec 2001 8:03 am

Joaquin and Cooley... interesting stories there I'm sure.
Mitch (and others), feel free to correct me on anything, but I think Joaquin first joined Spade circa 1942 and left in 1946 to go with Tex.
In an interesting side note, Speedy West mentioned that he once auditioned for Tex for Joaquin's job, but it never happened, this was circa 1947. Apparently Joaquin had been doing a lot of work with the Plainsmen and it seems that he almost ended leaving the Western Caravan.. or Tex was simply going to 'let him go.'
Either way, it seems Joaquin stayed until 1950 or so when Smokey Rogers started the group at the Bostonia Ballroom. Joaquin also worked there staying until 1954 when he rejoined Cooley, appearing on Cooley's 1955 'Dance-O-Rama' LP set.

I'm not sure what came after that, Cooley had an all-girl group circa 1957 and Joaquin was off doing other things, although they were reunited for Cooley's 1959 album 'Fidoolin' which was reissued in 1961 and remains a rather obscure set.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 8 Dec 2001 8:46 am

Ian--you are absolutely, 100% correct. What you fail to consider though is that in order to go out and buy this at a real life brick and mortar record store I would first have to get off my sorry butt (I was going to say 'and try to find a store in the town where I live' but here in NYC that would be laying it on a little too thick) so you see my dilemma.

Just yesterday I went into a guitar store that I had only visited online before--and hadn't been too impressed--only to discover that it was a very cool store with tons of interesting stuff including a '54 Stringmaster D-8. Overpriced at $1200 in its so-so condition. But lesson learned.

Jody, sir--as per our emails, thankyou. JLo is on her way. Keep your door open. There's parts of her that won't likely fit thru the mail slot.

Sage · Post by **Sage** » 8 Dec 2001 9:05 am

Jody, if you want to transfer your old film onto a new format, you might ask Chas Smith how it is done, and who could do it. This kind of thing is important to save and pass on.
T. Sage Harmos www.harmosmusic.com [This message was edited by Sage on 08 December 2001 at 09:07 AM.]

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 8 Dec 2001 10:09 am

The local record store is pretty good about trying to find stuff I want, if o\you don't mind posting the label and the item number for both the Tex Williams live CD and the Spadella I sure would appreciate it.

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 8 Dec 2001 1:32 pm

Sage, Mike Johnstone knows all that stuff.

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 8 Dec 2001 1:49 pm

Jody, that sounds like Noel.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 8 Dec 2001 1:54 pm

Thanks Chas.
I thought it was Noel,how could I miss that Fender sound?.

I thought for certain it was him...his single
string work is a bit different from Joaquin's
Rather than me say it was Noel for certain,,
I didnt want to make a fool of myself,,so I thought I would call on your expertise for a
second opinion.

Thanks Chas.