From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sun May 12, 2002  2:00 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Joe Maphis
 
JOE MAPHIS

Born Otis Wilson Maphis, 12 May 1921, Suffolk, Virginia
Died 27 June 1986, Nashville, Tennessee

The guitar style of Joe Maphis is one of the most innovative of the '50s and
still echoing in contemporary styles. Joe took up guitar, banjo and fiddle and
worked with Blackie Skiles and his Lazy K Ranch Boys on WRVA Richmond
(Virginia) in 1939. In 1942 he moved to WLW Minneapolis as Cousin Joe and
fronted a US Army Special Services group called the Swingbilly Revue in 1944.
After his discharge he went back to WRVA on the Old Dominion Dance Show,
where he met singer Rose Lee (born Rose Lee Schetrompf, 29 December 1922,
Baltimore, MD). They began working together by 1951, married, and moved to
L.A. There they appeared on "Town Hall Party" (a live barn dance stage show)
for ten years. He sessioned with Johnny Bond, Tex Ritter etc, worked in TV
music (The Virginians, FBI Story etc), films (Thunder Road, God's Little Acre,
both 1958). The Maphises signed to Columbia in 1952, but none of their singles
(issued on OKeh) sold, though "Dim Lights,Thick Smoke And Loud, Loud Music"
(written by Joe) would become a country standard.
The rise of rock 'n' roll greatly enhanced Joe's session calls. Ken Nelson used
him on a few Wanda Jackson sessions in 1956. The next year Ozzie Nelson
asked him to play on Ricky Nelson's early Imperial sides. Maphis can be heard
on "Be Bop Baby", "Stood Up", "Waitin' In School" and all of Ricky's first LP
for Imperial, "Ricky". At Town Hall, he took 12 year old Larry Collins under his
wing. Joe's tutelage made him a formidable guitarist. Joe plays on all the
Collins Kids 1955-58 Columbia sessions and recorded an EP with Larry
(called "Larry Collins and Joe Maphis") in September 1957.
Joe left Columbia in 1960. The Maphis family moved to Nashville in 1968 and
remained active, appearing regularly on TV's Hee-Haw 1981-85. Son Jody was
part of the impressive Earl Scruggs Revue '1972-79 and a session musician in
Nashville.

Recommended CD: Flying Fingers (Bear Family 16103). 24 of Joe's instru-
mentals, 1955-1960.
More info: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/rockin.paul/fire_on_the_strings.htm