Matt “Guitar” Murphy

Probably most widely known for playing in back of the Blues Brothers (and appearing prominently within their 1980 hit movie), Matt “Guitar” Murphy deserves enshrinement within the blues-guitar hall of fame anyhow. His jazz-tinged, stunningly advanced riffing behind Memphis Slim raised the towering pianist’s 1950s result for United and Vee-Jay Information to new levels. Guitar playing went within the Murphy home (which relocated from Mississippi to Memphis when Matt was a toddler). Matt and his sibling Floyd both produced a name for themselves around the early-’50s Memphis picture (that’s Floyd on Small Junior Parker & the Blue Flames’ 1953 Sunlight waxings of “Feelin’ Great” and “Secret Teach”). Matt used Howlin’ Wolf as soon as 1948 (harpist Small Junior Parker was also within the band at that time). Murphy added popular licks to early edges by Parker and Bobby Bland for Contemporary before latching on with Memphis Slim’s Home Rockers in 1952. Normally, the veteran pianist eschewed guitarists entirely, but Murphy’s skill was therefore prodigious that he produced an exemption. Murphy’s consistently thrilling guitar function graced Slim’s United waxings from 1952-1954 and his 1958-1959 platters for Vee-Jay. Another solid Memphis Slender LP for Strand in 1961 and schedules with Chuck Berry, Otis Hurry, Sonny Youngster Williamson, Etta Adam, as well as the Vibrations at Chess preceded Murphy’s unforgettable appearance for the 1963 American Folk Blues Festival tour of European countries (alongside Slim, Sonny Youngster Williamson, Muddy Waters, Lonnie Johnson, Big Joe Williams, Victoria Spivey, and Willie Dixon). On that pioneering tour (marketed by Lippmann and Rau), Murphy commanded the limelight with an exciting “Matt’s Electric guitar Boogie” that showcased his ultra-clean rapid-fire choosing. Harpist James Natural cotton was the sweaty beneficiary of Murphy’s prowess during a lot of the 1970s. Murphy’s sharp picking matched up Cotton’s high-energy blowing for the harpist’s 1974 Buddah record 100% Natural cotton (the guitarist penned a nonstop “Boogie Thing” for the established). Following that, it was to aiding and abetting John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s antic mugging, both on stage and in the Blues Brothers flick (where he performed Aretha Franklin’s guitarist hubby, persuaded to emerge from retirement with the young boys in dark). Murphy provides toured being a bandleader lately, having documented an record of his very own in 1990, Method Down South, for Antone’s (with sibling Floyd on tempo electric guitar). His repertoire includes blues, funk, jazz, R&B, and also some of those Blues Brothers chestnuts (he generally carries someone within the entourage to sing ’em, Belushi-style).