Release Date: March 23, 1999.
Recording Time: 40 minutes.
Release Info: Studio & Live (SHCD-3890), Reissue.
Recording Location: Lemco Sound, Lexington, KY, National Folk Festival at Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA.
Styles: Bluegrass, Country, Country Blues, Folk Blues, Honky Tonk, Rock & Roll, Rockabilly, Traditional Bluegrass.
The late Jimmy Murphy always defied categorization. His influences ranged from Jimmie Rodgers and rockabilly to honky tonk and bluegrass. Fact is, Murphy was quite comfortable performing any of these styles and more. With the reissue of Electricity, some of Murphy's best performances are highlighted, including a pair of live tracks, "John the Baptist" and "Holy Ghost Millionaire," recorded at the National Folk Festival in 1977. Murphy delivers a thoughtful country number, "Mother Where Is Your Daughter Tonight," one minute, and blues the next, with "Shanty Boat Blues" and "Big Mama Blues." "I Get a Longing to Hear Hank Sing the Blues" is an apt tribute to fellow Alabama singer/songwriter Hank Williams. There are also several gospel tunes, including "The Morning Light Is Breaking" and "He's Always the Same." Murphy, who died in 1981, possessed a dazzling guitar technique and a tried and true, hard country voice. The critics could never decide whether he was bluegrass or straight country, but the fact is, he was both and neither. He was a hardcore country artist grounded in the blues, with an obvious love for bluegrass and gospel music. Nowadays, Murphy would be lumped into the same category with Dwight Yoakam and Steve Earle, but during the '50s and '60s, no one knew exactly what to make of him. Now, years after his death, Murphy has found his niche. Maybe the critics can rest easy now and just enjoy this fine music. ~ Michael B. Smith
Credits: Leroy Carr - Composer; Phil Copeland - Engineer; Jerry Douglas - Dobro, Guest Artist; David Glasser - Remastering; John Johnson - Bass; Cecil Jones - Engineer; Sue Meyer - Design; Flo Murphy - Vocals; Jimmy Murphy - Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals; Barry Poss - Producer; Ricky Skaggs - Fiddle, Guest Artist, Guitar, Gut String Guitar, Mandolin, Mixing; Richard K. Spottswood - Liner Notes; Traditional - Composer; Tom Underhill - Engineer; J. Mayo Williams - Composer; Tony Williamson - Guitar.
Tracklist:
01. You Touched Me And Made Me Live Again - Jimmy Murphy
02. Electricity - Jimmy Murphy
03. Shanty Boat Blues - Jimmy Murphy
04. He's Always The Same - Jimmy Murphy
05. It Seems I Always Get What I Don't Want - Jimmy Murphy
06. Wake Me Up Sweet Jesus - Jimmy Murphy
07. We Live A Long Time To Get Old - Jimmy Murphy
08. I Get A Longing To Hear Hank Sing The Blues - Jimmy Murphy
09. Mother Where Is Your Daughter Tonight - Jimmy Murphy
10. The Morning Light Is Breaking - Jimmy Murphy
11. Louise - Jimmy Murphy
12. Corbin Stomp - Jimmy Murphy
13. Big Mama Blues - Jimmy Murphy
14. How Long Blues - Jimmy Murphy
15. John The Baptist - Jimmy Murphy
16. Holy Ghost Millionaire - Jimmy Murphy
Personnel: Jimmy Murphy - Guitar (Six String), Twelve-String Guitar, Lead Vocals; Jerry Douglas - Dobro; John Johnson - Bass; Flo Murphy - Lead Vocals; Ricky Skaggs - Mandolin, Fiddle, Guitar, Harmony Vocals; Tony Williamson - Guitar.
NOTES:
13-14 Previously unreleased studio tracks.
15-16 Previously unreleased live tracks from the National Folk Festival at Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA, July 27-28, 1978.