By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

MIAMI – Matt “Guitar” Murphy, best known for his role as the lead guitarist in the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers,” died Friday. He was 88.

Before he was tapped for the hit movie and as a touring musician with John Belushi (Jake Blues) and Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues), Murphy was one of the best-known guitar players on the national blues scene.

Murphy was born in Sunflower, Mississippi, and moved to Memphis as a child. While still teenagers, Murphy and his brother, Floyd, quickly became sought-after musicians on the Memphis blues circuit. Floyd continued playing regionally while Matt went on to work as a sideman for legends like Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Memphis Slim and Otis Rush.

Murphy joined Belushi and Aykroyd in 1978 when the actors formed a band for musical sketches on Saturday Night Live. He also had a long stint with James Cotton and his own band in a career that spanned eight decades. R.

Photo courtesy of Matt “Guitar” Murphy Facebook page