Joe Maphis was born on May 12, 1921 in Suffolk, Virginia. He developed a unique guitar playing style, somewhat comparable to Merle Travis. But, he played more than the guitar. He also played the fiddle, mandolin, bass fiddle and wrote songs, too.

His career went from coast to coast and then some. He appeared on many of the nationally known live radio shows. When he was on the WLS National Barn Dance, he worked with Red Foley and Grandpa Jones. In addition, he appeared on the Foreman Phillips show, a Sunday radio show with Stuart Hamblen called “Cowboy Church.”

He was known to have played the fiddle and banjo on many of Wesley Tuttle’s recordings and also for other artists that recorded in California. His wife was Rosalie and they lived in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.

Joe Maphis died June 27, 1986.

Dave Sichak
Hillbilly-Music.com