Joe Maphis | Country Guitar Solos | The King of the Strings!

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Joe Maphis, (May 12, 1921 - June 27, 1986), was an American country music guitarist. One of the flashiest country guitarists of the 1950s and 1960s, Joe was known as The King of the Strings. He was able to play many stringed instruments but specialized on guitar.
In 1944, Joe went into the U.S. Army. His skills landed him a gig performing for troops around the world. Maphis was discharged in 1946. After playing on WLS radio in Chicago he returned to Richmond, Va. and the Old Dominion Barn Dance until the early 1950s. During this period Maphis met many country music stars of the day who played the same circuit including Merle Travis which he performed with many times throughout his career. He Is also known for playing his famous double-neck Mosrite guitar.
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[@brianwagoner8899]

John 5 sent me to check out Joe Maphis, who is one of his guitar hero's. He was right. My mind is a little blown. This guy was phenominal.

[@topher8096]

I found Joe Maphis by John5 also! Man. My mind is blown. Real music and I can totally see where John5 gets a lot of inspiration now.

[@jeffstanford6900]

Same here!!!👍👍👍👍

[@danienelphoto]

Me too 😄

[@amranard]

Same

[@theodoreengle8319]

Me too. If you Joe Maphis also check out Hank Garland and Junior Brown. Junior is phenomenal.

[@philhatfield8905]

Country music guitarists have been treated like crap since the end of the second World War! Joe Maphis was one of the best to ever pick up the instrument, but there were hundreds of others who never got the recognition that they deserved. I am 63 years old and I saw a lot of these musicians in concert, and I am here to tell you that they were damn great; in fact, many of these players were so talented, they could play jazz and rock and roll guitar in their sleep! Country music legend Merle Haggard wrote and performed some of the best music ever, yet he was also superb on guitar and violin. Glen Campbell was a guitar legend, yet he is not even mentioned in Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the top 100 guitarists! Pathetic! One of the best concerts I ever attended was titled: An Evening With Chester And Lester. "Chester" was Chet Atkins; and "Lester" was Les Paul. Neither used an 'effects pedal', or feedback!

[@brianwagoner8899]

Glen Campbell is one of the best guitar players I have ever seen. He was ridiculously good. Glen is, along with Chet Atkins, Roy Clark, and Jerry Reed simply one of the best ever. Anyone else who might not know how badass Glen was, check this out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWWzdpltrr52kKc And here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4XOq35vpb2An9E

[@MrJimmy-ox7fq]

I remember Paul McCartney in an interview making a point about how good a guitarist Jerry Reed was. I thought that was great recognition by a fellow musician.

[@jesseserna8424]

I agree I’m 58 and I just started trying to learn guitar again,my dad was a fiddle player his idol was Bob Wills.He always tried to get my to learn a musical instrument. I just discovered the Collins Kids and fascinated by the double neck guitar which brought me here..🎸

[@santhawhite4755]

glen cambell could'nt hold a light to joe mathis.

[@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426]

You’ve mentioned some true greats. Chet used to say Jerry Reed was actually better than he, but was so busy w/ other pursuits, he didn’t devote as much to playing. The guy that stands out from this group though, is Danny Gatton. I saw him when The Humbler Stakes His Claim and Unfinished business were recorded. The audio is here on YT, Redneck Jazz explosion is another, but the “Linus and Lucy medley” about 3 minutes in, best shows his blazing fast hybrid picking and improvisation.

[@SoulKingBK]

The speed of a metal guitarist while no distortion to cover up tone mistakes... straight inhuman ability

[@marybecker8127]

Thanks John5…your right…he’s some player!!🎸

[@MrGreglarry]

Can you tell me what interview you heard John 5 talking about Joe Maphis? I'd writing a book on Maphis and would like to hear it.

[@SuperMickey57]

And he made it look so dang easy!

[@ZalMoxis]

When real talent walked this earth and it was just a day job to them.....

[@drewood]

Thank you John 5, this is definitely a picking masterclass.

[@MrGreglarry]

Can you tell in what interview did you hear John 5 talking about Joe Maphis? I'm writing a bio on Maphis and would like hear what John 5 had to say.

[@EdBallantine]

I remember this great talent and person.

[@sirgaryo]

Who else is only on here on direction of the awesome John 5 !?!? Lol 😂 WOW, he wasn’t kidding, Joe is something else !!! 😍🎸👌🔥🔥🔥

[@soloflightwest]

When and where did J5 direct you here?

[@briannewell6064]

Remember kids, practice, practice, practice.

[@bartschwartz7217]

Brian Newell oh u mean Larry and Lori Collins lol

[@BertieBullfrog]

Sensational! Just now at 55 years young I discover this man!

[@coproductions9378]

Yee Yee Taught Jimmy Collins the Double Neck when he was around 9....look him up....That kid could keep up with Awesome Joe pretty well! THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

[@stringbender57]

Joe was a mind blowing country guitarist and showman! Blazing fast, super clean picking and did it like it was a walk in the park. It's a shame he is looked over and forgotten when names of rapid fire country pickers like Jimmy Bryant and others come up. I loved Jimmy, but Joe would have left him in a trail of dust. Thanks for sharing this video and showing the world what a great guitarist Joe Maphis was!

[@TheGattonmaster]

"Would have left him in a trailer of dust"; other way around, Bryant! But Maphis should be mentioned with Gatton, Scotty, Bryant, Clark top 5 rippers.

[@randolphpatterson5061]

@@TheGattonmaster Gotta mention Hank Garland & Grady Martin in that same breath, compadre.

[@NoCoverCharge]

Joe and Hank Garland two greats

[@sulevisydanmaa9981]

+ PHIL BAUGH , THE GREATEST ...

[@m.x.2442]

John 5 said check out old guitar fingers over here and he wasn't kidding. This Joey Maphis really playing the devil outta that musical contraption of his. I rate this 5 outta 5 on the John 5 scale.

[@MrGreglarry]

Can you tell me in what video Joe Maphis was talking about Maphis? I'm writing a book on Joe Maphis and would love to hear his thoughts about joe Maphis.

[@m.x.2442]

@@MrGreglarry The video is titled : "John 5 on How He Gets Old-School Tones from His Metal-Friendly Tele" uploaded by Premier Guitar. The Joe Maphis part starts about 9 mins and 26 seconds in.

[@MrGreglarry]

@@m.x.2442 Perfect. Thank you so much!!

[@MrGreglarry]

@@m.x.2442 Thanks so much! I found it.

[@dregs28]

Thank you John 5 !!

[@Fooma777]

So, the little neck is a tiny guitar neck? Blown away. This guy is a shredder’s shredder

[@philiphoward1731]

Wow that’s a really cool guitar I think it’s a mosrite and they made really good guitars💰💰💰🎩🎩🎩🎩

[@softailspringer9915]

Got a new guitar hero!

[@mickbrenton]

softail springer They called him King Of The Strings! Perhaps you might want to check Hank Garland for some country jazz?

[@meyou-dv8ns]

Who ? Pat Martino?

[@packingten]

Joe was a great musician period!.

[@heavenlyguitar5913]

Well I guess I will sell my gear now. Lol!!! What a great guitarist and musician. The mindboggling thing is the backup musicians with these guys are usually just as good yet they have no problem with being the backup band. The guys and gals that played in these groups were great.

[@jajsound]

WOW ! Til today I have never heard of Mr. Joe Maphis........incredible !!!

[@madmad8582]

The King of Strings is Joe Maphis

[@boblstclair4023]

Watched Joe a lot when I was a kid. He was very inspiring.

[@chuckmcfadden6782]

Amazing! I better get to practicing if I ever plan to catch up to Joe! He hardly looks at his fingers! And sings too!

[@locyam6875]

yup, this was a legend

[@warrenwolf6274]

Joe Maphis played come fine rockabilly guitar in early Ricky Nelson songs like Stood Up.Excellent analysis.

[@tago69mago671]

Not a country music fan but because I love guitars and anyone who plays great guitar I've watched players of all different genres and country musicians have some of the greatest musicians, not just guitarists, I've ever seen.

[@mosrite60]

Incredible. But during the Ranch Party TV show from LA, Joe was joined by 12 years old Larry Collins. Both played the double neck Mosrites. Many will remember the shows. Thats guitar playing on steroids.

[@Pickinbuddy]

Grandpa Jones playing a Fender guitar!!!!

[@juanalbertorendonsalazar1908]

Genial

[@brianthompson2089]

Fingers on fire!

[@wideawakenotwoke6178]

Fire on the Mountain great player thank you!

[@michaelpearson1272]

He was the fastest guitar player in the world at that time.and Larry Collins of the collins kids mentor Larry for a young boy with a sqeeky voice as a child guitarist was a lightning speed guitarist also.

[@katecameron3036]

Awesome

[@andrewpendlebury1103]

Always a big influence,...thanks for sharing.

[@G8GT364CI]

Man! This guy was great! I like that hat action.

[@daltonpoff5051]

One word shear genius!!!!!

[@normanacree1635]

I wish guys like this would at least 'pretend' like what they were doing was hard for them since it is impossible for most (99.999%) of us.

[@davetrent3682]

So joe maphis is not only the original country shredder but a banjo and mandolin player too oh yes and slap bass

[@locyam6875]

m grandpa still love his music

[@HamptonGuitars]

Wow, some video so old that Grandpa Jones was just Pops!

[@jeffroegner1499]

Easier for him to concentrate without all the hee haw honeys around. 😂❤

[@ayahslife8773]

Amazing!

[@michaelmodes7438]

He looks like he's waiting for the bus, just no stress.

[@MrSaltycreek]

John 5 recommended, definitely worth the watch

[@rakka1dude184]

nice vid. liked every bit. loved how it got faster and faster.

[@heritage1804]

Did Semi Moseley have anything to do with that double-neck guitar? Glorious electric guitar tone in the days before purists were invented and a '59 Lester was, well, heavy. Thank you Joe et al.

[@rockinredneck57]

This is the very first double neck Mosrite guitar, built by Semi Mosley.

[@keefmeister77]

I understand that the pickups on this guitar are very sensitive and the action very low.

[@jimmyjennings4089]

Dam at feller was ah shredding bah 4 it wuz kewl

[@oliviermelin8194]

Thanks John5

[@geraldmcgee614]

he also played on Ricky nelson..s early hits.....also 26 miles.....

[@ScotchArsh]

Was Wanda Jackson's lead when she first started recording, too.

[@theplayers3507]

What a maniac

[@manoelteixeira4936]

Tem intimidade com o instrumento. Bom demais e muito mais. maneco - Brasil.

[@alansouzacruz970]

👏😎 mestre

[@macdad159]

I cam here to check out Joe Maphis after watching John 5 discuss him.

[@soloflightwest]

Hey that’s awesome to hear! Can I ask where you seen John discuss him? I’d like to check it out-

[@brianwagoner8899]

@@soloflightwest This is the video where he talks about Joe. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpaVfX-lgbR4jsk He begins speaking about Joe here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpaVfX-lgbR4jsk?t=566

[@keefmeister77]

@1:37 with his wife, Rose Lee Maphis

[@brianwagoner8899]

To anyone who is curious about why all the John 5 fans came here to check out the great Joe Maphis, this is the video where he talks about Joe. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpaVfX-lgbR4jsk He begins speaking about Joe here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpaVfX-lgbR4jsk?t=566

[@soloflightwest]

Ah thanks, I was wondering about that.

[@brianwagoner8899]

@@soloflightwest You're welcome.

[@jormawails]

alternate picking cleeeeeen

[@billday6744]

check out the old Hee Haw show with him and Roy Clark playing Liberty together Joe left Roy in the dirt

[@madmad8582]

What ever happened to Joe Maphis's Guitars ???????

[@mrblueroadsunderground6055]

Only practice on the day's you eat

[@onemexican1973]

you should not be this good....love Joe.

[@tytuschen8734]

I love your page!

[@fasteddie1257]

Died @ age 47.. what a loss to Country music.

[@DEATHVIPER1777]

Don’t think it was 47

[@fasteddie1257]

@@DEATHVIPER1777 Correct.. I had heard he died at 47. Tx to the internet.

[@brianwagoner8899]

Huh? He died at age 65.

[@rickcurtis2983]

Wonderful compilation of Joe's solos! Thank you! Who is the pedal steel player at 4:18...she's great too!

[@mitchmatthews6713]

Are there any questions?

[@juleswins3]

Sucker could play anything with strings! And who was the lady on steel? She was no slouch by any stretch!

[@Josephs-Rocknroll-Adventures]

❤️🎶🎸

[@randolphpatterson5061]

I've noticed how Joe starts off the video playing by means of flexing his right wrist as he picks, but when the song's tempo picks up, he switches to having his wrist remain rigid & instead begins using his whole forearm to move the pick across the strings. I had that same thing going on with my flatpicking, too, under very similar circumstances. For example, I'd once worked with a fiddler who did Orange Blossom Special, and he'd speed up the tempo for the latter portion of the song. I played backup on my Tele with a very typical Luther Perkins picking style, and I could start out flexing at my wrist to do the picking, but when the tempo sped up I was sort of forced to stiffen my wrist & then was using my whole forearm to control the picking motion. It seemed there was a limit to how fast I could pick using my wrist alone, and I could never seem to build up any more speed with it. I always had to fall back on using my forearm to keep up when the tempos sped up, & at those times I was barely getting by but my accuracy was not as good. Fortunately for me, we didn't use that particular song to feature me on a guitar solo, or else I might have fallen on my face, lol.

[@normanacree1635]

At the point where you stiffened your wrist, weren't you basically shredding?

[@dcorzi]

Yeah I’ve been fascinated by his incredible technique.. just like you state.. at “slower” tempos ( that’s super relative.. meaning slow for him).. it’s all wrist with maybe a bit of thumb joint, but once he really gets going he stiffens the wrist and it’s from the elbow/forearm.. amazing how clean, powerful and accurate he is.. and that I guess he just came up with this on his own.. no KZbin back then to watch to see how people are doing it! Even if there was not sure anybody else was playing guitar like this before him.. wonderful stuff:)

[@PIPEHEAD]

Thanks for pointing that out ! After fingerpicking for over fifty years, I just took to investigating the plectrum a few months ago. I just heard about this guy yesterday, and I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed that stiff wrist " overdrive " ...........................

[@bonsummers2657]

Mosrite.

[@michaelsinard7402]

A picker. Every note required a pick. Didn't hear any hammer on's or pull-off's. Saw him on L.A. country western television show's in the 1950's.

[@raymondberry7099]

michael sinard 4:15 leading in and out of the Marion Hall steel break (Town Hall Boogie, the full song found elsewhere on KZbin) it's all hammer ons and pull offs as his hat is in his picking hand. Joe was equally at home with Country, Western Swing, and even Rockabilly.

[@johnnypk1963]

michael sinard yea his right hand is great

[@brucemcdonald1114]

Except when he tipped his hat.

[@rickjason215]

When someone is at that talent level he probably does whatever’s appropriate at the moment. Picking every note with a clean sound doesn’t leave much room for mistakes. His style looks perfect for a thumb pick.

[@brucemcdonald1114]

@@rickjason215 He was a circle picker. It's hard to learn...but once you get it.......

[@999manman]

I have never really listened to Joe...pity that...he was a firebrand. That right hand...yeeeeesh! I thought Jimmy Bryant was fast....

[@soloflightwest]

I’d say Jimmy has the edge, but Joe was an important figure for sure!

[@999manman]

@@soloflightwest Hard to say....Jimmy's version of "Old Joe Clark" stuns me but Maphis has a masterful hummingbird picking style, too. This was my first real foray into listening to Maphis. Being a guitarist I know it is far harder to pick like that without a lot of distortion...guess those guys shredding with a clean tone is the defining mark of their amazing talent.

[@timhitt5934]

I wonder if he ever jammed with Roy Clark?

[@iblockpuncheswithmyface1490]

He was probably Roy's teacher.

[@geraldmcgee614]

loved his pickin...but when u play that fast...no emotion is required...!

[@petehosey7134]

He said he and Roy would get together and jam occasionally. He didn't do much playing at home. When they'd get home from a tour, he'd put his guitar away until it was time to go on tour or record again.

[@Bageera63]

Yes they did! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGW6imCJlq2ha9k

[@BrianKlobyGuitar]

:)

[@davidgerber9317]

Can anyone tell the name of the steel guitar at 4:10?

[@johnbethea6101]

He exclusively played Mosrite’s.

[@mikegosnell4379]

Mostly Mosrites. He's playing a Gibson Super 400 with his name on it at 2:23.

[@steen0305]

Marian Hall playing a Bigsby.

[@karlsonkab51]

1000000X the guitarist of Crap-ton !

[@mojostephen]

Right on!

[@thomasneily8267]

Whats the double neck guitar on top just a miniture scale i never seen that or heard it but this clip from anyone before unless im mistaken is it a small scale guitar?

[@soloflightwest]

It’s a guitar just short scale and an octave up. Bigsby built one earlier, and a few other with a 5 string mando set up too.

[@bonsummers2657]

Hee Haaawwww!!!

[@bartschwartz7217]

Little guitar is more of a mandolin which they blend in

[@ravenslaves]

Damn hippies, with their electric guitars and long hair. This rock n roll fad will be over soon. Then we can go back to real music.

[@user-et2fj8xm5l]

No pedals here kids..

[@dakterdee]

wut

[@dlagrua]

The guy stinks. When he plays fast he can't even keep good time

[@CamBaldeon]

It’s really easy to leave negative comments, does it feel good?

[@dlagrua]

@@CamBaldeon Joe was an exciting entertainer but as a musician I see lots of faults in Joe's playing. Very poor timing. Just calling it the way I hear it.

[@CamBaldeon]

Perception is each persons reality, so you are right. The internet is a great place to voice an opinion.

[@dlagrua]

@@CamBaldeon Not perception. As a musician myself I can analyze and hear the gross imperfections in Joe's playing. He just played faster than he was able to. When Joe slowed it down he sounded really good but when he showboated it sounded terrible.

[@CamBaldeon]

@@dlagruaYou’re clearly on another level. I’d love to hear your playing, anyway I could hear any of your work?

[@stevemick6569]

Amazing!