True Blues Brother – The Legacy Of Matt “Guitar” Murphy
True Blues Brother – The Legacy of Matt “Guitar” Murphy
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital
Label: Nola Blue Records
Release: 2024
Release date: June 21, 2024
Double Album, True Blues Brother: The Legacy of Matt “Guitar” Murphy
Producer Bob Christina’s Caravan of Roots Music Icons Celebrate with Historic 23-Song Homage to a Master
After nearly forty years of musical and personal camaraderie, drummer and producer Bob Christina began studio work with Matt “Guitar” Murphy on what would become Murphy’s final project. After Matt passed in June of 2018, the fate of the unfinished project was placed in Christina’s hands. He began an outreach to musicians who were friends of Murphy, played with him, or were otherwise influenced by him. The response was overwhelming, with no less than 72 outstanding musicians represented on True Blues Brother: The Legacy of Matt “Guitar” Murphy set for a June 21st release date by Nola Blue Records. The label plans to release the album’s first single on April 26 (“Way Down South” – a Bandcamp exclusive) and the second single (“I’m Gonna Make You Mine”) on May 24.
This historic 23-song double album includes Murphy’s final three studio recordings, a new song written and performed by multi-Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge, and the work of Murphy’s friends Joe Beard and Billy Boy Arnold in the studio together for the first time. Featured artists include Doyle Bramhall II, Fran Christina & The Original Roomful of Blues, Steve Cropper, Ronnie Earl, Sax Gordon, Jaimoe, Bill Kirchen, Chuck Leavell, Bob Margolin, James Montgomery, Tracy Nelson, Johnny Nicholas, Christine Ohlman, Lee Oskar, Jerry Portnoy, Duke Robillard, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Toni Lynn Washington and many more.
Murphy was born in Sunflower, Mississippi, on December 29, 1929, and raised in Memphis. He moved to Chicago in 1948. Widely known for his appearance in The Blues Brothers movie and performing with The Blues Brothers band, Murphy’s blues career was launched by the early 1950s and encompasses work with Howlin’ Wolf, Little Junior Parker, Memphis Slim, and countless other titans of blues history. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2012. Murphy died on June 15, 2018 at age 88.
Website: https://www.nola-blue.com/truebluesbrother
Volume One:
01. Matt’s Boogie (2:23)+ Matt Murphy © Chicken Wang Pub
Guitar – Matt “Guitar” Murphy; Guitar – Ricky “King” Russell; Organ – Bruce Bears; Bass – Bob Worthington; Drums – Fran Christina
02. You Never Can Tell (3:04)* Chuck Berry © BMG Platinum Songs o/b/o Arc. Music Corp. Vocals – Dave Howard; Background Vocals – Michelle Brett; Guitar – Neal Vitullo; The Mitchfest Horns: Dave Cafro – Trumpet, Doc Chanonhouse – Trumpet, Klem Klimek – Tenor Saxophone; Keyboard – Richard Reed; Bass – Tommy Reed; Drums – Bob Christina
03. I Feel Alright Again (3:00)*Deadric Malone © Songs of Universal
Vocals – Brian Templeton; Guitar – Nick Adams; Tenor Saxophone – Collin Tilton; Keyboard – Johnny Juxo; Bass – Dean Cassell; Drums – Bob Christina
04. Mother Earth (4:04) Lewis Simpkins and Peter Chatman © BMG Platinum Songs US dba Arc Music
Vocals and Piano – Johnny Nicholas; Guitar and Mandolin – Scrappy Jud Newcomb; Fiddle – Danny Levin; Bass – Bruce Hughes; Drums – Fran Christina; Engineered at Ice Cream Factory: Austin, TX; Mixed by Stuart Sullivan (Wire Recording) and Fran Christina
05. I’m Lost Without You (2:59)* Peter Chatman © Wixen o/b/o Memphis Slim Music
Vocals and Drums – Fran Christina; Guitar – Bill “Fox” Mills; Tenor Saxophone – Greg Piccolo, Piano – Al Copley; Bass – Marty Ballou
06. Something’s Got a Hold on Me (3:36)+ Pearl Woods, Etta James and Leroy Kirkland © EMI Longitude Music
Vocals – Christine Ohlman (The Beehive Queen); Guitar – Cliff Goodwin; Guitar – Ricky “King” Russell; Bass – Bob Worthington; Drums – Bob Christina
07. Peter Gunn I (0:41)* Henry Mancini © Universal Music Corp. o/b/o Northridge Music Co.
Guitar – Neal Vitullo; The Mitchfest Horns: Dave Cafro – Trumpet; Bob Hassen – Baritone Sax; Doc Chanonhouse – Trumpet, Klem Klimek – Tenor Sax; Keyboards – Dicky Reed; Bass – Tommy Reed; Drums – Bob Christina
08. I Can’t Quit You Baby (5:34)* Willie Dixon © BMG Bumblebee o/b/o Hoochie Coochie Music
Vocals – Phil Diiorio; Guitar – Troy Mercy; Harmonica – James Montgomery; Bass – Marty Ballou, Drums – Bob Christina;
09. Think (4:00)* Aretha Franklin and Ted White © Springtime Music and Fourteenth Hour Music
Vocals – Toni Lynn Washington; Vocals – Lisa Marie; Guitar – Chris Leigh; The Mitchfest Horns: Doug James – Baritone Saxophone, Gordon “Sax” Beadle – Tenor Saxophone; Keyboards – Rufus Davis; Bass – Tommy Reed; Drums – Bob Christina
10. Way Down South (4:36) Floyd Murphy and Matt Murphy © Chicken Wang Pub
Vocals and Piano – Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne; Guitar – Steve Cropper; Guitar – Enrico Crivellaro; Harmonica – Lee Oskar; Hammond Organ – Mati Vaarmann; Bass – Felton Crews; Drums – Jaak Ahelik; Engineered, Mixed and Produced by Jaak Ahelik at Lament Studio, Estonia
11. Suffering Soul (2:58)* Guy Browley and Maurice Simpkins © Confidential Compositions
Guitar – Ronnie Earl; Guitar – Nick Adams; Keyboard – Ron Levy; Drums – Jaimoe; Drums – Bob Christina
12. Jack Rabbit Boy (2:02) Richard Fleming Francis and Thomas Jay Hambridge © Richard Fleming Music and Tom Hambridge Tunes
Vocals and Drums – Tom Hambridge; Guitar – Rob McNelly; Bass – Tommy MacDonald Engineered Mixed and Produced by Tom Hambridge, Nashville, TN
Volume Two:
01. Matt’s Shuffle (4:59)+
Guitar – Matt “Guitar” Murphy; Organ – Bruce Bears; Bass – Bob Worthington;
Drums – Bob Christina
02. Evil (3:42)* Willie Dixon © BMG Bumblebee o/b/o Hoochie Coochie Music
Vocals – Craig Rawding; Guitar – Bob Margolin; Harmonica – Jerry Portnoy; Piano – Chuck Leavell; Drums – Bob Christina
03. Rocket 88 (2:46)* Jackie Brenston © Anne Rachel Music Corp. and Unichappell Music, Inc.
Vocals – Craig Rawding; Guitar – Bill Kirchen; Guitar – Mike Williams; The Mitchfest Horns: Doug James – Baritone Saxophone, Doc Chanonhouse – Trumpet, Gordon “Sax” Beadle – Tenor Saxophone; Piano – Chuck Leavell; Bass – Marty Ballou; Drums – Bob Christina
04. Sugar on the Floor (4:33)+ Pauline Matthews © Universal Music – Mgb Songs o/b/o Rocket Music Ltd
Vocals – Christine Ohlman (The Beehive Queen); Guitar – Cliff Goodwin; Guitar – Ricky “King” Russell; Violin – Jessica Mancuso; Bass – Bob Worthington; Drums – Bob Christina
05. Lonesome (2:51)* Peter Chatman © Wixen o/b/o Memphis Slim Music
Vocals and Drums – Fran Christina; Guitar – Duke Robillard; Sax – Greg Piccolo; Piano – Al Copley; Bass – Marty Ballou
06. Same Old Blues (4:17)* Don Nix © Irving Music, Inc. A/C Deerwood MusicVocals – Tracy Nelson; Choir – The Refine Singers (Melody Forrest, Roslyn Cambell, Angel Cooper) Guitar – Tom Ferraro; Piano – Chuck Leavell; Bass – Tommy Reed; Drums – Bob Christina
07. Give Me Time (3:48)Tony Romeo ©BMG Platinum Songs US o/b/o Conrad Music and BMG Bumblebee o/b/o Leric Music Inc.
Vocals, Guitar, Bass – Doyle Bramhall II; Backing Vocals, Drums – Fran Christina; Keyboards – Anthony Farrell; Engineered by Sam Patlove at Buds Recording: Dallas, TX; Mixed by Stuart Sullivan and Fran Christina at Wire Recording Studio: Austin, TX; Produced by Fran Christina and Doyle Bramhall II
08. Shake A Tailfeather (2:15)* Verlie Rice, Otha Hayes and Andre Williams © Spirit One Music o/b/o Vapac Music Publishing Inc.
Vocals – Nick David; Background Vocals – Lisa Marie and DD Bastos; Guitar – Chris Leigh; The Mitchfest Horns: Bob Hassen – Baritone Saxophone, Dave Cafro – Trumpet, Klem Klimek – Tenor Saxophone; Keyboard – Johnny Juxo; Bass – Tommy Reed; Drums – Bob Christina
09. Tired of Sleeping Alone (5:01)+ Ricky “King” Russell
Vocals and Guitar – Ricky “King” Russell; Guitar – Matt “Guitar” Murphy; The Mitchfest Horns: Bob Hassen – Baritone Saxophone, Paul Lieberman – Tenor Saxophone, Doc Chanonhouse – Trumpet, Josh Kane – Trombone; Bass – Bob Worthington; Drums – Bob Christina
10. Peter Gunn II (0:50)* Henry Mancini © Universal Music Corp. o/b/o Northridge Music Co.
Guitar – Neal Vitullo; The Mitchfest Horns: Dave Cafro – Trumpet, Bob Hassen – Baritone Saxophone, Doc Chanonhouse – Trumpet, Klem Klimek – Tenor Saxophone; Keyboards – Dicky Reed; Bass – Tommy Reed; Drums – Bob Christina
11.Let Me Hang Around (3:07)^ McKinley Morganfield © Sony/ATV Songs LLC o/b/o Watertoons Music
Vocals and Guitar – Joe Beard; Guitar – Chris Beard; Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold; Bass – Brian Leach; Drums – Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
12. You Wasn’t Doin’ Too Good (4:48)^ Joe Beard
Joe Beard; Vocals and Guitar – Joe Beard; Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold