Joe Maphis was one of country’s first ’flash’ guitarists, able to fire notes machine-gun style from his custom-built doubleneck electric guitar. His twangy tone and dazzling cascades of notes had far-reaching implications, and surf guitarists including Dick Dale considered him as a major influence. Rockabilly revivalists like Deke Dickerson and others have used Joe’s playing as a beacon of inspiration, and with good reason. Rockabilly guitar legend Larry Collins of the Collins Kids, another influential guitarist, was one of Joe’s musical protégés. As a Virginia teenager, Joe drank in Maybelle Carter’s guitar work, learned mandolin, bass fiddleand banjo as well and became one of the first guitarists anywhere to flatpick fiddle tunes on guitar. In addition he recorded both vocals (with his wife Rose Lee Maphis) and instrumentals for Columbia from 1953 through 1960. Hollywood producers who saw him perform as a member of the cast of the Southern California country TV show ’Town Hall Party’ in the 1950s hired him to play all types of recording sessions. Joe played on Ricky Nelson’s first Imperial album with James Burton and on hits like Be Bop Baby and Waitin’ In School. His guitar graced the soundtracks to the classic Robert Mitchum moonshine movie ’Thunder Road,’ as well as ’God’s Little Acre’ and others. His Columbia instrumentals were never hits, most were only available on the rare 1957 ’Fire On The Strings’ LP.Now, we bring forward one CD with 24 of the awe-inspiring Maphis instrumentals (22 from Columbia, and 2 from Republic), including the duets with Larry Collins. After the first play your CD player will never be the same. Watch it!