Gurf Morlix

Artist: Gurf Morlix

Worked With:

Rich Brotherton, Robert Earl Keen, Jr., Buddy Miller, Donald Lindley, Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale

Formal Connection With:

Active: 2000s
Genres: Rock
Instrument: Guitar

Biography

After making a name for himself as a record producer for a roster of other artists that includes Robert Earl Keen and Lucinda Williams, Gurf Morlix struck out on his own with a solo effort when Catamount Records issued Toad of Titicaca in 2000. Morlix, a guitar player who sings and plays a number of other instruments, penned 11 numbers for his debut. The tracks, showcasing the many facets of Morlix as a songwriter, include a humorous homage to actor Dan Blocker, who played Hoss on the Western television series Bonanza; the equally funny "Greatest Show on Earth"; the country-flavored "Robin Sings at Midnight"; and the heart-tugging lament "Rainin' on Me." A native of Buffalo, NY, Morlix began his career in 1966. During his youth he taught himself to play music after his attention was snagged in a big way first by Elvis, and then by Hank Williams. Blown away by Williams' talent, Morlix picked up the steel guitar and focused on country music. New York didn't offer much in the way of country bands he could hook up with, so the aspiring musician headed for California, where he met Lucinda Williams. Morlix ended up leading her band, singing, and playing guitar, as well as eventually producing her albums. Before she hit it big, however, the band played local hangouts and nightspots, sometimes pulling in as little as ten dollars for an entire evening's work. Morlix, tired of the unprofitable grind, prepared himself to call it quits. Before he could tell Williams, however, she got word that a record deal was in the works, and he was slated to work as her producer. A more profitable and fruitful time followed, but Morlix and Williams parted in later years in a way that left their friendship in trouble. Through the years, Morlix also produced such artists as Ray Wylie Hubbard, Tom Russell, Butch Hancock, Ian "Mac" McLagan, Slaid Cleaves, the Pinedogs, and the Setters. His numerous recording credits include works by Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Miller, Peter Case, Bob Neuwirth, Trish Murphy, Marvin Etzioni, Andrew Hardin, Jim Lauderdale, Don Walser, Michael Penn, Linda McRae, Danny Tate, and Mojo Nixon, among others. Buddy Miller included "A Girl Like You," a Morlix-penned tune, on Your Love and Other Lies, an album he recorded for Hightone. As a member of a group called the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers, Morlix plays weekly at the Austin, TX, nightspot Empanada Parlour. The band and Morlix released an album through Catamount, for which he again donned his producer's hat. ~ Linda Seida, All Music Guide

Search unanswered questions...

Browse: Unanswered questions | Most-recent questions | Reference library

Wikipedia: Gurf Morlix

Top

Gurf Morlix (born 1951, Buffalo, NY) is an American multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and record producer residing for many years in Austin, Texas. He has worked with many of the best known performers of Americana and alternative country music. His most notable works include albums by Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen, Mary Gauthier, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Slaid Cleaves. The instruments that he plays include guitar, bass, mandolin, mandocello, dobro, pedal steel, Weissenborn, banjo, harmonica, and drums. Gurf is a member of the Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame (2004) and the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame (2005), and is the Americana Music Association Instrumentalist of the Year for 2009.

1 Career
2 Discography
- 2.1 Solo works
- 2.2 Other works (selected)
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

Career

Gurf moved to Texas in 1975 and initially performed with Blaze Foley, in both Austin and Houston. Moving to Los Angeles in 1981, he met up with Lucinda Williams, a fellow Texas-based musician who had also moved there. He became her accompanist for 11 years - from 1985 to 1996 - eventually leaving in frustration at the repeated delays in the release of Lucinda's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road album ^[1]^{[citation needed]} - the album being finally released in 1998. In 1990 he accompanied Warren Zevon on tour. He relocated back to Austin in 1991.

Discography

Solo works

Toad Of Titicaca (Catamount Records, 2000)
Fishin' in The Muddy (Catamount Records, 2002)
Cut 'N Shoot (Blue Corn Music, 2004)
Diamonds To Dust (Blue Corn Music, 2007)
Birth To Boneyard (Rootball, 2008) [an instrumental version of Diamonds To Dust]
Last Exit To Happyland (Rootball, 2009)

Other works (selected)

For a more complete discography see the Gurf Morlix page at www.gurfmorlix.com

Lucinda Williams, Lucinda Williams, (Rough Trade/Koch, 1988)
Sweet Old World, Lucinda Williams, (Chameleon, 1992)
The Setters, The Setters, (Watermelon/Blue Million Miles, 1992)
Gringo Honeymoon, Robert Earl Keen, (Sugar Hill, 1994)
Eats Away The Night, Butch Hancock, (Sugar Hill, 1995)
Louisiana Rain, Teddy Morgan, (Antone's, 1996)
Look Up, Bob Neuwirth, (Watermelon, 1996)
No Angel Knows, Slaid Cleaves, (Philo, 1997)
Picnic, Robert Earl Keen, (Arista, 1997)
Walking Distance, Robert Earl Keen, (Arista, 1998)
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Lucinda Williams, (Mercury, 1998)
Broke Down, Slaid Cleaves, (Philo, 2000)
Best of British, Ian McLagan, (Gadfly, 2000)
Poison In The Well, Jim Whitford, (self-released, 2000)
Ah-Haa! Goes Gras, Rod Moag, (Textracs, 2000)
Eternal & Lowdown, Ray Wylie Hubbard, (Philo/Rounder, 2001)
Gravitational Forces, Robert Earl Keen, (Mercury/Lost Highway, 2001)
Borderland, Tom Russell, (Borderland, 2001)
Holiday Sampler EP, Slaid Cleaves, (Philo, 2001)
Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers, Imperial Golden Crown Haromonizers, (Catamount, 2001)
Ghost Train, Hot Club of Cowtown, (Hightone, 2002)
Filth & Fire, Mary Gauthier, (Signature Sounds, 2002)
Cryin' Out Loud, Linda McRae, (Black Hen, 2002)
Fortune Wheel, Ivan Brown, (Tin Foil, 2002)
Jason Eklund, Jason Eklund, (self-released, 2002)
Growl, Ray Wylie Hubbard, (Philo/Rounder, 2003)
Burnt Tongues and Blue Truths, Eric Westbury, (Barreltown, 2003)
American Breakdown, Troy Campbell, (Loudhouse, 2003)
McKay Brothers, McKay Brothers, (Texas Archipelago, 2003)
Plank, Jeff Plankenhorn, (Blue Corn, 2003)
Oval Room, Blaze Foley, (Lost Art, 2004)
Wishbones, Slaid Cleaves, (Philo, 2004)
Mercy Now, Mary Gauthier, (Lost Highway, 2005)
Delerium Tremolos, Ray Wylie Hubbard, (Philo, 2005)
Llano Avenue, Darryl Lee Rush, (Shiner, 2005)
Oklahoma Speedway, Troy Campbell
Rally at the Texas Hotel, Ralston Bowles, (Wildflower, 2008)

Additional credits include work with Warren Zevon, Buddy Miller, Julie Miller, Ian McLagan, Eliza Gilkyson, Jimmy LaFave, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Mojo Nixon, Jim Lauderdale, Jerry Lee Lewis, Michael Penn, and many others.

References

^ Texas Monthly Magazine, February 2009, p44. Interview with Gurf Morlix

External links

Gurf Morlix artist page at www.gurfmorlix.com.
Gurf Morlix page at MySpace
Gurf Morlix at Allmusic
"Out Front: Sideman Supreme Gurf Morlix Steps...", by Lee Nichols Austin Chronicle, April 17, 2000

Awards
Preceded by Buddy Miller	AMA Instrumentalist of the Year 2009	Not Yet Awarded

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Donate to Wikimedia

Learn More

	Holiday Sampler (2001 Album by Slaid Cleaves)
	Borderland (2001 Album by Tom Russell)
	Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers (2001 Album by Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers)

What is a gurf? Read answer...

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

Copyrights:

		Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved. Read more
		Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Gurf Morlix". Read more