Joe Maphis
Otis Wilson "Joe" Maphis (May 12, 1921 – June 27, 1986), was an American country music guitarist. He married singer Rose Lee Maphis in 1953 and they performed together, later referred to as "Mr & Mrs Country Music". One of the flashiest country guitarists of the 1950s and 1960s, Joe Maphis was known as "The King of the Strings". He was able to play many stringed instruments with great facility. However, he specialized in dazzling guitar virtuosity. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Suffolk, Died June 27, 1986
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1944 - 1957
Roles Represented in DAHR: electric guitar, banjo, violin, mandolin, arranger
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 64 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | E4LB-4458 | 10-in. | 8/20/1954 | Let's stay together till after Christmas | Terry Fell ; The Fellers | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
| Victor | E4LB-4459 | 10-in. | 8/20/1954 | We wanna see Santa do the mambo | Terry Fell ; The Fellers | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
| Victor | E4LB-4460 | 10-in. | 8/20/1954 | Get aboard my wagon | Terry Fell ; The Fellers | instrumentalist, electric guitar | ||
| Victor | E4LB-4461 | 10-in. | 8/20/1954 | He's in love with you | Terry Fell ; The Fellers | instrumentalist, guitar | ||
| Columbia | RHCO10616 | 10-in. | 10/13/1953 | Thanks | Johnny Bond | Male vocal solo, with string band and vocal trio | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10617 | 10-in. | 10/13/1953 | Sweet mama, tree top tall | Johnny Bond | Male vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10618 | 10-in. | 10/13/1953 | Put a little sweetnin' in your love | Johnny Bond | Male vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10659 | 10-in. | 12/9/1953 | A kiss from your lips | Maddox Brothers & Rose | Mixed vocal quartete, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10663 | 10-in. | 12/9/1953 | Beautiful bouquet | Maddox Brothers & Rose | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, banjo | |
| Columbia | RHCO10664 | 10-in. | 12/9/1953 | The time is spring | Maddox Brothers & Rose | Mixed vocal duet,, with string band | instrumentalist, banjo | |
| Columbia | RHCO10665 | 10-in. | 12/9/1953 | My child has a billy goat | Maddox Brothers & Rose | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, banjo | |
| Columbia | RHCO10666 | 10-in. | 12/10/1953 | The birthday card song (the card that you sent on my birthday) | Rose Maddox | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10667 | 10-in. | 12/10/1953 | Breathless love | Rose Maddox | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10668 | 10-in. | 12/10/1953 | There's no right way to do me wrong | Rose Maddox | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10669 | 10-in. | 12/10/1953 | Hasty baby | Rose Maddox | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10686 | 10-in. | 12/13/1953 | Bimbo | Gene Autry ; Carl Cotner Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10688 | 10-in. | 12/13/1953 | Roly poly | Gene Autry | Male vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10763 | 10-in. | 2/16/1954 | Fire water | Johnny Bond | Male vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO10764 | 10-in. | 2/16/1954 | Stealin' | Johnny Bond | Male vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO33170 | 10-in. | 7/20/1954 | Alone I cry | Bonnie Sloan | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO33173 | 10-in. | 7/20/1954 | Don't call me a tramp | Bonnie Sloan | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| 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 | instrumentalist, banjo | |
| Columbia | RHCO33347 | 10-in. | 2/22/1955 | The parting of the ways | Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis | Mixed vocal duet, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO33348 | 10-in. | 2/22/1955 | Your old love letters | Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis | Female vocal solo, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar | |
| Columbia | RHCO33349 | 10-in. | 2/22/1955 | Honky tonk down town | Joe Maphis ; Rose Lee Maphis | Mixed vocal duet, with string band | instrumentalist, electric guitar |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Maphis, Joe," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/329396.
Maphis, Joe. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/329396.
"Maphis, Joe." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Maphis, Joe, 1921-1986 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n90636705
Wikidata: Joe Maphis - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1691521
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/22338337
MusicBrainz: Joe Maphis - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/49d2d2e5-ca44-4902-a15b-60c5cbe625e3
Fast: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1754088 - http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1754088
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