Joe Maphis


Otis Wilson "Joe" Maphis ( MAY-fis; May 12, 1921 – June 27, 1986), was an American country music guitarist. He married singer Rose Lee Maphis in 1953 and they performed together.

One of the flashiest country guitarists of the 1950s and 1960s, Joe Maphis was known as "The King of the Strings".

Birth and Death Data: Born Suffolk (independent city in Virginia, United States), Died June 27, 1986

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1947 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, harmony vocal, composer, lyricist, lead vocal

See Also: Cousin Joe Maphis

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D7VB-0834 10-in. 5/7/1947 I'm going to write to heaven (for I know my daddy's there) Blue Sky Boys Male vocal duet, with string band songwriter  
Victor D9VB-0849 10-in. 2/2/1949 A picture a ring and a curl Carter Sisters ; Maybelle Carter Female vocal ensemble, with string band songwriter  
Columbia RHCO10618 10-in. 10/13/1953 Put a little sweetnin' in your love Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Columbia RHCO33346 10-in. 2/22/1955 You ain't got the sense you were borned with Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis Mixed vocal duet, with string band vocalist, lead vocal, composer, lyricist  
Columbia RHCO33347 10-in. 2/22/1955 The parting of the ways Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis Mixed vocal duet, with string band vocalist, harmony vocal  
Columbia RHCO33348 10-in. 2/22/1955 Your old love letters Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis Female vocal solo, with string band vocalist, harmony vocal  
Columbia RHCO33349 10-in. 2/22/1955 Honky tonk down town Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis Mixed vocal duet, with string band vocalist, harmony vocal, composer, lyricist  
Columbia RHCO33476 10-in. 6/9/1955 Livin' it up Johnny Bond Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  
Columbia RHCO33561 10-in. 10/3/1955 I love you deeply Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis Mixed vocal duet, with string band vocalist, harmony vocal  
Columbia RHCO33562 10-in. 10/3/1955 Let's pull together Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis Mixed vocal duet, with string band vocalist, harmony vocal  
Columbia RHCO33563 10-in. 10/3/1955 I'm willin' to try Rose Lee Maphis Female vocal solo, with string band composer, lyricist  
Columbia RHCO33731 10-in. 2/28/1956 Guitar rock and roll Joe Maphis Electric guitar solo, with string band vocalist, harmony vocal, composer  
Columbia RHCO33732 10-in. 2/28/1956 Floggin' the banjo Joe Maphis Banjo instrumental, with string band composer  
Columbia CO48539 10-in. 11/9/1952 Dim lights, thick smoke (and loud, loud music) Lester Flatt ; Foggy Mountain Boys ; Earl Scruggs String band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia CO50837 10-in. 2/2/1954 Put a little sweetnin' (in your love) Neal Burris ; Melody Ramblers Male vocal solo, with string band songwriter  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Maphis, Joe," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106221.

Maphis, Joe. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106221.

"Maphis, Joe." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106221

External Sources

Wikipedia: Joe Maphis

Discogs: Joe Maphis

Allmusic: Joe Maphis

IMDb: Joe Maphis

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Maphis, Joe, 1921-1986 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n90636705

Wikidata: Joe Maphis - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1691521

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/22338337

MusicBrainz: Joe Maphis - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/49d2d2e5-ca44-4902-a15b-60c5cbe625e3

Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1754088 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1754088

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