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 hits such as "Stood Up" (1957) and "Be-Bop Baby" (1957). Maphis was also a regular on the Town Hall Party radio and television program. In 1984, he performed with his wife Rose Lee Maphis on PBS's Austin City Limits. Diagnosed with lung cancer in 1985, Joe Maphis passed away on June 27, 1986.
