Jim Marshall (businessman): Difference between revisions
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==Early Years== |
==Early Years== |
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Jim Marshall was born in Acton, West London, in 1923, into a family which included boxers and music hall artists. As child he was diagnosed with tubercular bones, and spent many years in the hospital. His formal education suffered as a consequence. During WWII he was exempt from military service due to his poor health. He became a singer, and then, due to the shortage of available civilian musicians, doubled as a drummer. In his day job as electrical engineer he built a portable amplification system so his light, crooning vocals could be heard over his drums.<ref name ="Saunders">Saunders, William (2010) ''Jimi Hendrix London'' Roaring Forties Press ISBN 978-0-9843165-1-9</ref> |
Jim Marshall was born in Acton, West London, in 1923, into a family which included boxers and music hall artists. As child he was diagnosed with tubercular bones, and spent many years in the hospital. His formal education suffered as a consequence. During WWII he was exempt from military service due to his poor health. He became a singer, and then, due to the shortage of available civilian musicians, doubled as a drummer. In his day job as electrical engineer he built a portable amplification system so his light, crooning vocals could be heard over his drums.<ref name ="Saunders">Saunders, William (2010) ''Jimi Hendrix London'' Roaring Forties Press ISBN 978-0-9843165-1-9</ref> |
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''"I was making 10 shillings a night and because it was wartime, we didn't have any petrol for cars, so I would ride my bicycle with a trailer behind it to carry my drum kit and the PA cabinets which I had made! I then left the orchestra to be with a 7 piece band and in 1942 the drummer leader was called into the forces and I took over on drums."'' <ref name="story">[http://www.blamepro.com/mar/jim.htm The Jim Marshall Story]</ref> |
''"I was making 10 shillings (£0.50 / $0.75) a night and because it was wartime, we didn't have any petrol for cars, so I would ride my bicycle with a trailer behind it to carry my drum kit and the PA cabinets which I had made! I then left the orchestra to be with a 7 piece band and in 1942 the drummer leader was called into the forces and I took over on drums."'' <ref name="story">[http://www.blamepro.com/mar/jim.htm The Jim Marshall Story]</ref> |
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In order to become more proficient on the drums and to better emulate his idol, [[Gene Krupa]], from 1946-48 Marshall took weekly lessons from Max Abrams. In 1949 Jim started teaching other drummers, including [[Mitch Mitchell]] ([[The Jimi Hendrix Experience]]), Micky Burt ([[Chas and Dave]]), Mickey Waller ([[Little Richard]]) and Micky Underwood ([[Ritchie Blackmore]]). |
In order to become more proficient on the drums and to better emulate his idol, [[Gene Krupa]], from 1946-48 Marshall took weekly lessons from Max Abrams. In 1949 Jim started teaching other drummers, including [[Mitch Mitchell]] ([[The Jimi Hendrix Experience]]), Micky Burt ([[Chas and Dave]]), Mickey Waller ([[Little Richard]]) and Micky Underwood ([[Ritchie Blackmore]]). |
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Revision as of 11:23, 7 March 2012
Jim Marshall | |
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 Jim Marshall signing autographs at the Winter NAMM 2007 show in Anaheim California, 21 January 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Charles Marshall |
James Charles "Jim" Marshall, OBE (born July 29, 1923 in London), known as The Father Of Loud, is a pioneer of guitar amplification. His company, Marshall Amplification continues to produce amplifiers with an iconic status.
Early Years
Jim Marshall was born in Acton, West London, in 1923, into a family which included boxers and music hall artists. As child he was diagnosed with tubercular bones, and spent many years in the hospital. His formal education suffered as a consequence. During WWII he was exempt from military service due to his poor health. He became a singer, and then, due to the shortage of available civilian musicians, doubled as a drummer. In his day job as electrical engineer he built a portable amplification system so his light, crooning vocals could be heard over his drums.[1] "I was making 10 shillings (£0.50 / $0.75) a night and because it was wartime, we didn't have any petrol for cars, so I would ride my bicycle with a trailer behind it to carry my drum kit and the PA cabinets which I had made! I then left the orchestra to be with a 7 piece band and in 1942 the drummer leader was called into the forces and I took over on drums." [2]
In order to become more proficient on the drums and to better emulate his idol, Gene Krupa, from 1946-48 Marshall took weekly lessons from Max Abrams. In 1949 Jim started teaching other drummers, including Mitch Mitchell (The Jimi Hendrix Experience), Micky Burt (Chas and Dave), Mickey Waller (Little Richard) and Micky Underwood (Ritchie Blackmore).
"I used to teach about 65 pupils a week and what with playing as well, I was earning in the early 1950s somewhere in the region of £5,000 a year, which was how I first saved money to go into business." [2]
From 1960, Marshall owned a moderately successful music store in Hanwell selling drums and then branching out into guitars. His many guitar playing customers (including Ritchie Blackmore, Jim Sullivan and Pete Townshend) spoke of the need for a particular kind of amplifier and Marshall saw the opportunity. He recruited an 18-year-old electronics apprentice, Dudley Craven, who was previously working for EMI and, with his help, began producing prototype amplifiers, resulting in the foundation of Marshall Amplification, in 1962.[1]
In 1984 Marshall was awarded the "Queens Award for Export", an honour bestowed by the Queen of the United Kingdom in recognition of Marshall Amplification's outstanding export achievement over a three-year period.[2]
References
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