Biography

West Coast-based recording artist, session musician, and disc jockey. Career most active 1940s-1950s.

Interview Summary

1976 February
(55 minutes)
West coast performer and disc jockey, Red Murrell talks about country music on the West Coast during the 1940s and 1950s. Discussion includes the circumstances surrounding Spade Cooley’s death; memories from Bob Wills’s appearances on the West Coast; memories of the Maddox Brothers & Rose; Dude Martin’s band; his western swing band, the Ozark Playboys; performing at the Hollywood Bowl; working as a musician for the western movies; memories of performers and music industry executives he worked with, including Merle Travis, Tex Atchison, Skeets McDonald, Cal Smith, Ferlin Husky, Ken Nelson, and Lee Gillette; performing at San Quentin; the story behind “Oklahoma Hills”; the musical impact of Spade Cooley; and memories of Herman the Hermit.