There’s never been a shortage of outstanding instrumentalists in country music, but through the years there have been a select few who seem to be in a special class. One of those would have to be Joe Maphis, who never met a stringed instrument he didn’t like.
Often called ‘The King of the Strings’, Maphis was most often seen performing with his trusty twin-neck guitar, but he sometimes switched instruments in mid-song, and could skillfully 
handle the fiddle, the banjo, the mandolin, and a few others too. (You can see his astonishing versatility in the video below.)
The Virgina-born Maphis — whose real first name was Otis — first tasted professional success in the West Coast country music Mecca of Bakersfield, California. During the post-war years and on into the Fifties and beyond he performed as a sideman to many stars, including Tex Ritter, Wanda Jackson, and Ricky Nelson. It was something he enjoyed and continued to do long after he and wife Rose began headlining as a singing duo.
Maphis was always known for his unbelievably rapid play, and that’s reflected not only in the sound of the music itself but also by the titles of some of his pieces. Songs like “Fire On The Strings” (a variation on the fiddle tune “Fire On The Mountain”), and “Flying Fingers” were among his best, but he also dazzled on other types of music. Good examples would be “Guitar Rock and Roll,” which played to the rising popularity of the new music, and “Rockin’ Gypsy,” which added in a Latin flavor.
Joe and Rose continued to perform as a duo for years, but Joe’s instrumental play was always the memorable aspect of the music. From time to time he performed and recorded with other ‘pickers’ like Merle Travis, and he was always an inspiration for the legendary Chet Atkins. He continued performing until his death in 1986.
Geezer Music Club 