Wally Murphy has Gone On!

Russ Wever · From: Kansas City

So sorry to tell you that Wally Murphy has died.
That's all I know, no further details at this time.
I saw it reported by Herby Wallace III, who worked
closely with Wally in recent years.
A dear friend fifty~ish years, I'm numb from
hearing this. We have a lot of playing and
hanging together under our belts!
Rest in peace, Waldo!

Limk to Facebook post.
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Bill Dobkins · From: Rolla Missouri, USA

RIP, Wally.
I have known Wally for years. He was always a good friend and a great Steel player. I will miss you bro.
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Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

Was Wally related to Big Jim Murphy?
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JERRY THURMOND · From: sullivan mo u.s.a.

Yes Russ I know you an Wally was good friends I two was a close friend He played in my club for several years an then I sold him the club then a played for him for a year or so he was such a great Steel guitar player it is hard to believe all his talent is gone, Wally was a private kind of guy but I would hear from him ever few months. I knew he was sick but no other info. To answer another question on the forum Big Jim was Wally's older half bro. going to miss Wally.

Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

Oh man, two monster players now gone … RIP Wally and Jim , you will be missed
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Bob Watson · From: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

Russ, I’m sorry to hear this sad news about Wally Murphy. He has been posting about his gigs on Facebook lately and it wasn’t that long ago that I had seen one of his posts. He was a fantastic steel player and I’ll never forget the first time I saw him play at the steel convention in St. Louis years ago. My condolences go out to you and all of his family and friends. May he RIP.

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

Sorry to hear about Wally's passing. He was a Great Steel Guitarist! His version of William Tell Overture was remarkable. I bought a copy of his very first Pedal Steel Guitar Album. He was a force on the Steel Guitar. Sorry Russ for your loss. He was a Great Steel Man!

Frank Freniere · From: The First Coast

I saw Wally at my first ISGC & he blew my mind, playing everything from the William Tell Overture to Exodus with taste, grace & at times, blinding speed. A legendary player.

Rest in peace. Condolences to the family.

Clark Connell · From: Emmetsberg,Iowa USA

RIP Wally Murphy; one of the truly great players of the steel guitar. Condolences to his family.
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Joe Krumel · From: Hermitage, Tn.

One of the best for sure. RIP.

kevin ryan · From: San Marcos, California

Oh no! so sorry to hear this. Wally came out to Californian in the early eighties with his trio and played for a week at a night club/bowling alley in San Diego. He was kind enough to come in early one day and show a few of us beginning steel players some of his ideas and blew our minds. I still play some of that stuff today that I learned from Wally that day, God Bless!!!!

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

This is sad and shocking news. I knew Wally from his years around St Louis and at the convention. What a great player, gone too soon. RIP Wally.

George Duncan Sypert · From: Colo Spgs, Co, USA

First time I saw Wally was in St Louis in 1981. Great player. He appeared in Colo Springs with Asleep at the Wheel in a club here but I did not see him then.

Paul King · From: Gainesville, Texas, USA

Flying Fingers is what I will always remember about Wally. Another big time loss in the steel guitar community.

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Not exactly note-for-note, but close enough for country... damn close!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcxkkB3Ccqs

Wally lived in Austin briefly in the early 70s during his time with AATW. I dug hanging with him. He for sure was monstrous.

Here's the previously mentioned "Exodus Theme," actually named "This Land is Mine."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKcj8vHbLvc&list=PL8swfdAC-6ulxz8Dl0c8MNUz4AW7YtXe1&index=3
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Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

Oh no!!! What a great player he was! Saw him at the ISCG twice and he always blew my mind. It was not all about his speed, but also of his musical taste and feeling that did it for me.

RIP, Wally...and thanks for all the great music!

Walter Stettner
Vienna, Austria
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Neil Lang · From: Albert Lea, Minnesota, USA

When visiting relatives. We used to go to the Down Spout in St. Louis "Boo-Koo" years ago. I remember Wally's FANTASTIC Steel playing. I think he played with a group called "Nick Nixon" and the Country soul!
Awesome PICKIN' For sure!!!!!
RIP Wally!
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Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

Russ I remember us sitting in the parking lot of the 'Idle Hour' listening to tapes you had of Wally playing steel. He was amazing. R.I.P. Flying Fingers!

Michael Weaver · From: Buffalo Grove, IL

I remember seeing him with AATW at a small club outside of Hershey, PA in, the early 1980s. He was kind enough to show me a few things after the club had cleared out about chord changes in Cherokee. He gladly spent about 10 minutes showing me these things while his steel was still set up. A very memorable evening, indeed. RIP, Wally.

Jim R. Harrison · From: North Vancouver, B. C., Canada

Here is an intense photo I took of Wally at Scotty's about 12 years ago.

rick andrews · From: Westminster Co 80031

Thanks for sharing this Russ. I hope that you're doing well.

Sad news for sure. RIP Wally.

Jack Stanton · From: Somewhere in the swamps of Jersey

I had the chance to meet and hear Wally one time in Philadelphia, probably 1980 or so. He was with Asleep At The Wheel. Talked to him awhile before he went on. He was friendly and self-effacing. I remember standing next to him and thinking "my God, that man is tall!" I could tell from his attitude he wasn't long for the Wheel. He played great. On a side note, the drummer was new, and Ray Benson was brutal to him that night.
Sleep well, Big Man.

Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

Wally always set the bar for speed at Scotty's. Rest easy.
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J R Rose · From: Keota, Oklahoma, USA

Wally was the coolest cat ever. Just a total overall picker.
Fast does not tell you anything about him. I met him years ago when I was working in Fairview Heights Ill. Just across the river from St.Louis. He was working in a nice little club
called Bobbys, supper club I guess. I don't think Nick Nickson
was working their then but could of been. Wally sang and of course played his butt off. I did see them working together later on in some club on the North Side of St.Louis. What a heck of a show they could put on. I kept in touch with Wally for years but we just drifted apart. He was all ways a nice guy and loved showing how some things were done. I have a couple of his C.D.s. Just Awesome. I am so sorry to here of his passing.
R.I.P. Wally. I will miss you. J.R. Rose
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Barry Yasika · From: Bethlehem, Pa.

I saw Wally play with "Asleep at the Wheel" and if Memory serves it was in the Lone Star Cafe in NYC. I'd already seen his brother Big Jim play there with Paycheck in the day. Met Wally several times but never Big Jim.

Later on when I lived in Orlando, he was playing at the Neon Armadillo at Disney with a band called Bull Durham. I Got meet him there because I played in one of the fill in bands when Bull Durham was went on the road or vacation for short stints. After that ended he played right around the corner from where I live at the "Post Time Lounge". I still have his business card somewhere among all my musical career clutter. He and his brother were both really something to see if you liked steel guitar. His name alone takes me back to a time when steel guitar and my own musical endeavors (be them meager compared to those guys) where interpreted and appreciated on completely different level. I don't know which one of those two were the astoundingly faster players or if it even matters. Both made a huge impression on me and to this day I think about them both all the time. Wonderful guys and seriously outrageous players.

He'd always take the time to at least say hello and ask how it was goin although I didn't actually know him all that well. Still, his passing leaves me at a loss. Things like this in general leave me with a bewildering feeling that we're on going down the same river, the same direction, on different boats and speeds and eventually go over the waterfall. RIP Wally and Jim!!

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