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Red Murrell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Red Murrell
Birth nameJoyce Wayne Murrell
Born(1921-06-27)June 27, 1921
Willow Springs, Missouri, U.S.
DiedFebruary 10, 2001(2001-02-10) (aged 79)
GenresWestern swing
Occupation(s)Musician, Songwriter, Bandleader, Disc jockey
Instrument(s)Vocals, Guitar
Years active1940s-1960s
LabelsCapitol - Signature

Joyce Wayne "Red" Murrell (June 27, 1921 – February 10, 2001)[1] was a Western swing performer from Missouri. He led one of the more notable Western swing bands in California, Red Murrell and his Ozark Playboys.[2] He was a popular session guitar player for many other artists as well.[3] Early in his career, he played with Billy Hughes's band, The Pals of the Pecos. In 1954 he went to work as a disc jockey for KEEN radio (1370 AM) in San Jose.[4]

Discography

[edit]
Year Part # Titles Notes
Atlas Records (of Hollywood, CA)
1945 108 Texas Home // Molly Darlin' as 'Red Murrell with Orchestra'
1945 113 Merle Travis with Orchestra: That's All // Red Murrell with Orchestra: Hide Your Face as 'Red Murrell with Orchestra'
1945 114 Don't Blame Me // Sioux City Sue as 'Red Murrell with Orchestra'
1946 120 Sittin' Here Alone Feeling Blue // Little Darlin' (I'm Sick And Tired Of You) as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Play Boys'
1946 121 I Learned My Lesson Too Late // Steel Guitar Rag (i) as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Play Boys'
1946 125 You Nearly Lose Your Mind // Git Fiddle Boogie (i) as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
1946 126 Walking The Floor Over You // Broomstick Buckaroo as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
1946 127 Baby Girl // Covered Wagon Rolled Right Along as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
1947 136 Don't Blame Me // Sioux City Sue (reissue) as 'Red Murrell with Orchestra'
Signature Records
1947 1020 If You're The Sweetheart Of Somebody Else (Don't Pal Around With Me) // Wake Up, Babe as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
1947 1021 (I Know My Baby Loves Me) In Her Own Peculiar Way // Get That Chip Off Your Shoulder as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
Acme Records
1948 1000 Devil In Disguise // I've Got A New Baby as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
1948 1001 That Naggin' Wife Of Mine // Count Those Broken Hearts as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
1948 1002 There'll Be Someone To Take Your Place // You Better Chance Your Tune as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
1948 1003 Forever Faithful // Hound Dog Blues as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Playboys'
Gold Seal Records
1948 010 Devil In Disguise // I've Got A New Baby (reissue) as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Mountain Boys'
1948 A230 Naggin' Wife // Count Those Broken Hearts (reissue) as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Mountain Boys'
1948 A540 There'll Be Someone To Take Your Place // Better Change Your Tune (reissue) as 'Red Murrell & His Ozark Mountain Boys'
Capitol Records
1949 40229 Ernest Tubb's Talking Blues // Paper Heart as 'Red Murrell'
1949 40262 The Letter I Forgot To Mail // Sittin' On Top Of The World as 'Red Murrell'
Lariat Records
1953 1163 I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart (v: Patsy Prescott) // Pot Of Gold (v: Patsy Prescott) as 'Red Murill & His Rangers'
Cavalier Records
1955 850 The Way She Got Away // Nobody But You as 'Red Murrell'
1955 851 Love's Commandments // Two Evil Eyes as 'Red Murrell'
1956 860 Good Old Country Moon // It Can Happen To You as 'Red Murrell'
1956 871 Ernest Tubb's Talking Blues // Two Timin' Heart as 'Red Murrell with Jimmy Rivers & The Cherokees'

note: (v) = vocal, (i) = instrumental track

Compilations

[edit]
  • Sittin' On Top Of The World (Jasmine JASMCD-3544, 2004)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Joyce W. Murrell Advertising agent, musician". Recordnet. February 14, 2001.
  2. ^ Malone, Country Music, USA, p. 202: "Many country entertainers appeared on the program [Dinner Bell Roundup, KXLA, Pasadena], one of the most notable being the swing fiddler and bandleader Red Murrell, who had one of the most popular bands in California."
  3. ^ La Chapelle, Proud to Be an Okie, p. 95: "Porky Freeman and Red Murrell, the session musicians on Jack Guthrie's 'Oakie Boogie,' even recorded a guitar instrumental, 'Porky's Boogie Woogie on Strings' which many enthusiast argued invoked Memphis barrelhouse music and anticipated rock and roll. Cut during the war, the independent release proved so popular that Freeman and Murrell released it, putting it on both side of the disc to keep jukebox listeners from wearing out the groove."
  4. ^ Komorowski, Swinging Hollywood Hillbilly Cowboys, p. 14.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Malone, Bill C. Country Music, U.S.A.. University of Texas Press, 2002. ISBN 0-292-75262-8
  • Komorowski, Adam. Swinging Hollywood Hillbilly Cowboys (Properbox 85, 2004) booklet.
  • La Chapelle, Peter. Proud to Be an Okie: Cultural Politics, Country Music, and Migration to Southern California. University of California Press, 2007. ISBN 0-520-24888-0