Gurf Morlix

Gurf Morlix is an American multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and record producer residing for many years in Austin, Texas. He has worked with many of the best known performers of Americana, roots rock and alternative country music. His most notable works include albums by Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen, Mary Gauthier, Ian McLagan, 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.

Career

Originally from Buffalo, NY, 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 (1985 to 1996) and produced two of her records: Lucinda Williams and its follow-up, Sweet Old World. Morlix was involved in the preliminary work on her next project, but eventually left in frustration at the repeated delays in the release of Lucinda's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road album^[1] - the album being finally released in 1998, produced by Steve Earle and Ray Kennedy. In 1990 he accompanied Warren Zevon on tour. He relocated back to Austin in 1991. In 2000's he was a member of Ian McLagan's Bump Band.

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)
• Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream (Rootball, 2011)
• Finds the Present Tense (Rootball, 2013)

Other works (selected)

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

• Peter Case, Peter Case, (Geffen Records, 1986)
• 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 Harmonizers, (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.

See also

• Music of Austin

References

External links

• Gurf Morlix artist page at www.gurfmorlix.com.
• Gurf Morlix at AllMusic
• "Out Front: Sideman Supreme Gurf Morlix Steps...", by Lee Nichols Austin Chronicle, April 17, 2000
• Gurf Morlix – Blaze Foley’s 113th Wet Dream - Rootball Records