Melvin Edward Alton "Turk" Murphy (December 16, 1915 – May 30, 1987) was an American trombonist and bandleader, who played traditional and Dixieland jazz.
Early life
He was born on December 16, 1915, in Palermo, California, United States. He attended Williams High School and graduated in 1933. The building now houses the Sacramento Valley Museum. Murphy was a stutterer, but not when singing or announcing.
Career
From 1937, Murphy was a trombonist for Lu Watters and, in 1940, with Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band, formed to play at San Francisco's Dawn Club. Murphy served in the Navy during World War II, during which, he played and recorded with Lu Watters and Bunk Johnson. After the Navy, Murphy continued with Watters.
"Turk formed his own band in 1949. They toured nationally with multiple residencies in New York City, making their San Francisco home base the Italian Village club (1952–1954), The Tin Angel (1955–1957), and Easy Street (1957–1959)."
In 1951, Turk Murphy's Jazz Band played at the Beverly Cavern, in Hollywood, Los Angeles for six weeks.
In 1952, Turk Murphy's Jazz Band, included pianist Wally Rose, clarinetist Bob Helm, banjoist Dick Lammi, and tubaist Bob Short.
In April 1959, Turk's band was playing at Easy Street, 2215 Powell.
Until 1960, Murphy stayed mostly on the road. Then Murphy and pianist Pete Clute opened their nightclub, Earthquake McGoon's, at 99 Broadway, the former Mr. Z's and earlier, Sail'N, which opened in 1960, then moved to 630 Clay Street, operated for sixteen years, moving to 128 The Embarcadero then Pier 39, closing in 1984. KJAZ radio broadcast live from Earthquake McGoon's, at Pier 39, sponsored by See's Candies.
Television
The band appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show twice, in 1959 and 1965. In 1979, Robert Schulz began an eight-year stint with the band. Other notable band members included trumpeters Don Kinch and Leon Oakley; pianists Pete Clute, Don Keeler, and Ray Skjelbred; banjoist Carl Lunsford, tuba and trombonist Bill Carroll, singers Pat Yankee and Jimmy Stanislaw.
Murphy was the singer for the 1971 Sesame Street cartoon shorts, "The Alligator King" and "No. 9 Martian Beauty". They were animated and produced by his friend Bud Luckey. Murphy arranged and performed on many of Luckey's other Sesame Street animated shorts.
Personal life
In 1952, while living in a flat on Chestnut Street, Murphy and Grace broke up.
He was friend of trombonist and Disney animator Ward Kimball, who created many memorable caricatures of Murphy, and Charles Addams, creator of the Addams Family.[citation needed]
↑Runkle, R. Bret (1978). "Bay Area Jazz Clubs of The 'Fifties"(PDF). JAZZ RHYTHM jazzhotbigstep.com. Berkeley: Dave Radlauer. Retrieved February 4, 2026. Notes for Typed Version of Runkle Manuscript Typed by Joe Spencer, March/April 2015 from copy provided by Dave Radlauer; Typed verbatim (I was assisted generously and patiently in this undertaking by Walt Yost, Turk Murphy, Dick Oxtot, Ev Farey and PT Stanton. Russell Glynn, Sanford Newbauer, Bob Helm, Bob Meilke, Bill Bardin, Pete Clute, Lee Valencia, Burt Bales, Dave Polos, Earl Scheelar, Devon Hawkins, Bunky Colman, and Jack Buck also lent their memories. Ray Landsberg, Walt Yost, Mike Duffy and Ray Skjelbred assisted with interviews. Special thanks to Turk, who took the trouble to assemble his recollections in a comprehensive letter. Special thanks also to Dick Oxtot, who loaned me his newspaper clipping file.)
12Wasserman, John (March 10, 1974). "Bookings in the Months to Come". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. Retrieved February 2, 2026– via Newspapers.com. Turk Murphy, whose Dixieland band is currently celebrating 25 years ... was recently the recipient of a citation ... from the White House.
↑"Books". Playboy. April 1, 1958. Retrieved February 4, 2026. San Francisco's newest jazz rookery, Easy Street (2215 Powell), is the first of a series of similar across-the-country clubs operated by a corporation that boasts Mr. Turk Murphy as an exec.
↑"The Clubs". The San Francisco Traditional Jazz Foundation Collection. Stanford University. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2026. Easy Street, 2215 Powell Street; Dawn Club, 20 Annie Street; Club Hangover, 729 Bush Street; C.I.O. Hall, 150 Golden Gate Avenue, Bunk Johnson with members of the Yerba Buena Jazz Band, 1944, later, The Green Room, for Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band, 1947; Italian Village, 901 Columbus Avenue; Sail'N, 99 Broadway ... building was purchased by Turk Murphy and Pete Clute in 1960; Tin Angel, 981 Embarcadero Bands led by Turk Murphy, Bob Scobey, Kid Ory, George Lewis, Lizzie Miles, Wally Rose, Bob Hodes, Bob Mielke, and others performed here before the club was sold to Kid Ory in 1958. Ory changed the address to number 987 and renamed the club "On The Levee" and led the house band; Hambone Kelly's 204 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito;
12"Turk Murphy". The San Francisco Traditional Jazz Foundation Collection. Stanford University. March 23, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2026. In 1960, Turk opened his San Francisco nightclub, Earthquake McGoon's, at 99 Broadway. The second Earthquake McGoon's, at 630 Clay Street, operated for sixteen years before moving to two other locations and closing in 1984.
↑"Night Life". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. June 2, 1985. Retrieved February 3, 2026– via Newspapers.com. FAIRMONT HOTEL New Orleans Room, Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 p.m.: Turk Murphy Jazz Band. Sunday and Monday: Jimmy Price and friends. Lobby level. Tonga Room: Tuesday through Saturday: Joe Alvarez Trio. Sunday and Monday: Lisa Sanchez Trio. Terrace level.
"The collection comprehensively covers the career of Turk Murphy", with related materials about Earthquake McGoon's, Lu Watters, Kid Ory, Burt Bales, Clancy Hayes, Bob Scobey, Bob Helm, Wally Rose, Dick Lammi, Bill Dart, Don Noakes, William Miskell and similar; containing: texts, audio, visuals, images, film, and video;
