Big Jim Murphy with Paycheck

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 14 Feb 2008 9:18 am

I remember these old boys playing at the club I was working 6 nights a week in back in 1981 or so. I believe they called the band the West Texas Sound Company.

Man they cooked that night!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UR_VTN8 ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UR_VTN8 ... re=related

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 14 Feb 2008 10:30 am

Great steel pickin all over that stuff.

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 16 Feb 2008 1:09 am

Fun playing. Big Jim, heck of a picker! Another one gone but not forgotten.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 16 Feb 2008 6:40 am

I saw Murph with Hank Thompson up in Canada. Just a 4 piece band and Jim did all the Merle Travis stuff too as well as a lot of off the wall impromptu stuff. He played lots of thick chords, fast stuff, precise bell clear harmonics, and copied the traditional Hank licks to a tee when it was called for. He seems to affect the whole rhythmic structure of the song with his vamps, not just the backup. If you take Murph out of the Paycheck or Thompson shows I've seen him in, the wow factor just falls flat (unless of course you're talking Hank T. with Bobby Garrett. another versatile, band sound shaping artist).

Greg

Michael Weaver · Post by **Michael Weaver** » 16 Feb 2008 11:36 am

I remember, quite vividly, playing in a band and opening for Paycheck a few times in central Pa. Murph was great to talk with, and very encouraging. I just loved standing offstage and watching him rip it....

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 20 Feb 2008 12:56 am

Myself and Mike Cass drove Jim to his motel, after a gig he was playing with Vasser Clements in Mpls. in the 70s. I said, "Jim you sometimes sound a bit like Chalker." Jim corrected me and said "No, Chalker sounds like me.

Roger

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 20 Feb 2008 1:37 pm

That guy is fast. Is he related to Wally Murphy? What's happened to Wally, so him in St Louis in about 97 and haven't seen him since.

ebb · Post by **ebb** » 20 Feb 2008 3:55 pm

this was at the lone star cafe on 13th and 5th in nyc in the early 80s. i know because i was at it

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 20 Feb 2008 11:34 pm

I believe Jim Murphy is Wally's older brother.

The last I heard, Wally was playing somewhere down in Florida. ??

Roger

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 21 Feb 2008 9:30 am

BJM is about my favorite country picker.
Thanx Ken!

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 21 Feb 2008 12:09 pm

BJM's tone in person is the closest I've ever heard to Chalker's. They both play both necks well and mix it up with single notes and full chords and both are not only pickers, they have the ability to compose arrangements. BJM seems to get the Chalker sound effortlessly as is he wasn't really copying anybody.

Greg

Dan Burnham · Post by **Dan Burnham** » 26 Feb 2008 2:44 pm

Greg,
please excuse my ignorance, but is BJM still alive?
Dan

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 26 Feb 2008 2:51 pm

Hi Dan,

No Big Jim is another one we lost two or three years back.

His baby brother is also a super steel player. Wally Murphy, and his L.P. years ago titled "Flying Fingers," and Wally live blew us all away years ago at the St. Louis bash.

Big Jim was quite a sax player as well. I have him on a L.P. with the late Vassar Clement and they really delighted the listerner on that one too.

Both were very talented and we get to claim them. They were MO boys!

Terry

Dean Batye · Post by **Dean Batye** » 6 Mar 2008 10:46 pm

I was lucky to have played with Jim when we were growing up in Jefferson City Missouri,He was called little Jim in those days.Steel,Bass,Sax was all played real good,We were nine and ten years old when we played tograther.He was my friend,miss him very much.It was a sad day when the big C took him away.
Dean Batye
Concord,Ca.
SWSGA
NTSGA

Bobby Caldwell · Post by **Bobby Caldwell** » 8 Mar 2008 9:43 am

"BIG MURPH" was a monster player. He could burn an uptempo tune on E9th or C6th and then milk a pretty ballad on either neck as well. I had the pleasure of working with him a few times. What fun!!!!!. He was, as most great players I have found, a very funny guy as well. Seem like so many great players have a great since of humor. Maybe a subject for another post? I just wish "BIG MURPH" would have recorded more. He was so talented in many ways. I miss him and the wonderful music he brought to us. Rest in peace dear friend. Bobby

The Steel Guitar Forum

Big Jim Murphy with Paycheck

Big Jim Murphy with Paycheck

JM

Ummm, tasty!

Big Jim