Jim Marshall (businessman)

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James (Jim) Marshall, OBE (29 July 1923) known as The Father Of Loud, is a pioneer of guitar amplification. His company, Marshall Amplification continues to produce amplifiers with an iconic status.

From 1960, Marshall owned a moderately successful music store in Hanwell and was known to supplement this income by teaching drums. 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.

Jim also played the drums.

"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." ^[1]

In order to become even more proficient on the drums, in 1946 Marshall began taking weekly lessons from Max Abrams in order to better emulate his idol, Gene Krupa. this continued for two years. In 1949 Jim started teaching other drummers, including Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix), Micky Burt (Chas and Dave), Micky 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 1950's somewhere in the region of £5,000 a year, which was how I first saved money to go into business." ^[1]

In 1984 Marshall was awarded the "Queens Award for Export", an honour bestowed by the Queen of England in recognition of Marshall Amplification's outstanding export achievement over a three year period. ^[1]

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