Bobby Christina's Caravan - True Blues Brother: The Legend Of Matt 'Guitar' Murphy (2024)

After nearly forty years of musical and personal camaraderie, drummer and producer Bob Christina began studio work with Matt “Guitar” Murphy on what would become Murphy’s final project. After Matt passed in June of 2018, the fate of the unfinished project was placed in Christina’s hands. He began an outreach to musicians who were friends of Murphy, played with him, or were otherwise influenced by him. The response was overwhelming, with no less than 72 outstanding musicians represented on True Blues Brother: The Legacy of Matt “Guitar” Murphy set for a June 21st release date by Nola Blue Records. The label plans to release the album’s first single on April 26 (“Way Down South” – a Bandcamp exclusive) and the second single (“I’m Gonna Make You Mine”) on May 24.

This historic 23-song double album includes Murphy’s final three studio recordings, a new song written and performed by multi-Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge, and the work of Murphy’s friends Joe Beard and Billy Boy Arnold in the studio together for the first time. Featured artists include Doyle Bramhall II, Fran Christina & The Original Roomful of Blues, Steve Cropper, Ronnie Earl, Sax Gordon, Jaimoe, Bill Kirchen, Chuck Leavell, Bob Margolin, James Montgomery, Tracy Nelson, Johnny Nicholas, Christine Ohlman, Lee Oskar, Jerry Portnoy, Duke Robillard, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Toni Lynn Washington and many more.

Murphy was born in Sunflower, Mississippi, on December 29, 1929, and raised in Memphis. He moved to Chicago in 1948. Widely known for his appearance in The Blues Brothers movie and performing with The Blues Brothers band, Murphy’s blues career was launched by the early 1950s and encompasses work with Howlin’ Wolf, Little Junior Parker, Memphis Slim, and countless other titans of blues history. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2012. Murphy died on June 15, 2018 at age 88.