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Joe Maphis

Otis Wilson "Joe" Maphis, born on May 12, 1921 in Suffolk, Virginia, was an American country music guitarist. He started his career with local bands like the Maryland Rail Splitters and the Sonnateers, becoming a regular performer on the radio show Old Dominion Barn Dance. In 1951, Maphis' career advanced when he was invited to Los Angeles by Merle Travis and Johnny Bond, leading to collaborations with numerous country and pop stars. He released the hit "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (and Loud, Loud Music)" (1953), which became a honky-tonk standard, and played on Ricky Nelson's early ...