Died On This Date (June 1, 1981) Jimmy Murphy / Country & Rockabilly Great
themusicsover Jimmy Murphy
October 11, 1925 – June 1, 1981
Jimmy Murphy was respected virtuoso guitarist, singer and songwriter who made his mark on country and rockabilly during the ’50s and early ’60s. Working as a brick layer during the late ’40s, Murphy found time to make appearances on local radio programs which lead to a meeting with Chet Atkins whose help ultimately got him signed to RCA Records in 1951. Over the next ten years or so, Murphy released a series of near-hits, but unfortunately, his old-timey themes never quite connected with the modern country listeners looking for their next Nashville hit. Murphy all but retired from music when a re-issue of his music sparked new interest during the ’70s leading him to record Electricity for the Sugar Hill label. The album is notable for being one of future great, Ricky Skaggs’ earliest recordings. Jimmy Murphy was preparing for another album and a large-scale tour when he died unexpectedly on June 1, 1981. He was 55.
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