Juggy Murray

Who was Juggy Murray?

Henry 'Juggy' Murray Jr. was an influential rhythm and blues music producer.

Raised in Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan, Murray and partner Bobby Robinson co-founded Sue Records in early 1957. In 1958, Murray formed the Symbol Records subsidiary.

Biographer Mick Patrick writes:

The label scored its first regional hit with the Matadors' 'Vengeance' late in 1957, followed by Bobby Hendricks' national Top 40 hit 'Itchy Twitchy Feeling', with backing from the Coasters. Recordings by the Ray Bryant Combo, Ernestine Anderson and Jimmy McGriff established Sue as a jazz hotbed, but the company's most important releases were in an R&B vein. 1958 marked the release of an early Don Covay single, 'Believe It Or Not', and in 1960, Sue launched the collaboration of Ike & Tina Turner with 'A Fool In Love'. Ike & Tina issued a series of national hits under Murray's hand, among them 'I Idolize You', 'It's Gonna Work Out Fine', 'Poor Fool', 'Tra La La La La' and 'You Shoulda Treated Me Right'. Extending his policy of wearing many hats, Murray even managed the Turners for a period.