Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi all, a friend is collecting info in preparation for writing a book about the late, great Dee Murray, bassist for the Elton John Band during the 70s and 80s. She asked me to post here in hopes of finding people who might have known him, met him, saw him perform, etc. Anything Dee Murray related.
She can be contacted at [email protected]

Thanks,
Ronn
(Proud owner of one of Dee's basses)

Hey Ronn did you buy it on Ebay. I remember seeing his Rick on EBay but I didn't bid.
That's the one Rick I Really regret not bidding on.
What Great history behind that Bass.

Ronn nabbed the Steinberg.

if you contact JD Williams at Corner Music in Nashville, 615-297-9559...he can give you some info....he has one of Dee's basses hanging in the store as well. It is an old G&L....

So whatever happened to Dee Murray anyway? I remember he was a part of that really good band that Elton had in the late '70s, back when they were doing "Funeral for a Friend" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fightin" etc. What happened to him, or do I need to wait for the book?

They had a funeral for their friend Dee....

He passed away from cancer in the early 1990's. He was with Elton's band during the classic period (1971 - '75) and then again in the early 80's when Elton wisely reunited the original band. I got to see them in Austin in 1984 (or '85) during the Breaking Hearts tour. He was playing the Steinberger on that tour which Ron now owns! I recommend any Elton album with Dee on it. I wish I could find the SNL video of him playing "Ball And Chain" from E.J.'s Jump Up LP. Pete Townshend plays acoustic on the recorded version, and he played with the Elton John band on that SNL performance in mid '82.

On Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973), Dee uses a mean Rick-like tone on Love Lies Bleeding, although I'm almost sure he never played Rickenbacker basses. Anyone?

I thought Dee mostly played P-basses . . . man could he make those things sing. Him, John Wetton, and Derek Shulman are like the three reasons I would ever buy a P-bass.

I can't say I have any relevant information on Dee Murray except that Elton John's early stuff was the music of my childhood, and stuff like "Honky Chateau" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" were some of my main introductions to music as beautiful art.

I'd heard "Love Lies Bleeding" for years on the radio, but wasn't sure what it was called. Dee also played a Jazz I believe. He was a finger player apparently, but it sounds to me that he also is "popping" the strings on the pick-up pole pieces. I absolutely love his sound on that track.

Paul McCartney got a nice sound on "Glass Onion" and "Helter Skelter" with his Jazz, so it seems possible. Gotta love those dual single coil pickup basses... (though no plans to get a Jazz myself)

Meant to also add that Ronn helped me out with the name of "Love Lies Bleeding" once I described part of the bass line.

Of course I have the CD now, as well as couple more early Elton ones with Dee on them. Gotta love Amazon.

Here you go:
http://www.deemurray.com/

Lots of pics of a Jazz or the Steinberger.

I'm sure the author of the Dee book would love to hear from anyone who digs Dee's playing, drop an email to the address in my original post.

Dee did have a Ric, and an Alembic, but played mostly Jazzes and the occasional P-bass during the 70s. In the 80s, Steinberger and G&L.

www.deemurray.com is disappointing, it looks like something from "TeenBeat". But, the woman is a big DM fan and has put a lot of $$ into it for photos. I wish I could own that URL and do it up right.

I think Dee mainly played Jazz basses, huh? And not just that white one (less he refinned this one)

He was great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb8iEHG85VE