Marshall Lawrence
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Marshall Lawrence (born in 1956), performs Acid Blues. He was born north of the 54th parallel in Canada, in a cabin in the woods! "Fans of his music have named him the 'The Doctor of the Blues' for taking traditional blues styles and mixing them with a raw, fiery energy.[1]
| Marshall Lawrence | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Marshall Lawrence |
| Born | 1956 |
| Origin | Canada |
| Genre(s) | Blues, Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, |
| Instrument(s) | Harmonica, Acoustic guitar |
| Years active | Thirty seven |
| Label(s) | ? |
| Associated acts | Performs with band |
| Website | http://www.doctorblues.com/index.php?page_id=3 |
| Members | |
| Him and his band | |
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early years
Lawrence became interested in rock and roll ten years after his birth. He showed his interest in rock, by begging his father for a guitar. Marshall loved his Echo semi-acoustic guitar and was determined to learn how to play it, inspired by Jimi Hendrix. According to Marshall:
"I loved his freedom and expression. I first heard Jimi when I was ten years old on the steps leading up to my family's apartment. I was just starting to play guitar and something in his approach immediately moved and inspired me. Here was a person who could express his innermost feelings through an inanimate object. This just blew me away and I knew I had found my direction."
He played his first gig in 1969 at Windsor, Ontario, under a band named The Peanut Gallery, playing a '69 Gibson SG through a Fender Dual Showman, proceeding to blow the amp on "Johnny B. Goode." As a teen, he spent most of 70's and 80's exploring and exploring guitar rock styles, while he was employed at a car factory in industrial Windsor.
Later on in his life, Marshall moved east to Kingston to pursue a Ph.D in psychology.
[edit] Start and Growth
Marshall followed the techniques of his famous idols then through buying albums from Chuck Berry, Johnny Winter, the 70's all-star power guitarists, and found himself coming home to the blues of B.B. King. Next, Lawrence discovered Eddie Hazel from Funkadelic, a Jimi-inspired guitarist who blended funky James Brown. His style at that timed was considered popular. Marshall found Eddie's styles remarkable. Henceforth, Lawrence began to play 70's funk, groove and reggae with the groups Masala and Shock Walter. Simultaneously, Marshall began experimenting with MIDI technology, by playing Tower of Power-style horn lines, a solo flute and digital FX on his Roland-equipped Strat.
[edit] Life Without Music
By 1996, Marshall started to feel he matured well enough in blues music. He returned to singing blues with the Marshall Lawrence band. His work brought him to Northern California where he could not find any blues scenes to play at, because of not be familiar with the area. Without music there for him, he purchased and learned how to play a mandolin. Then he played for a local bluegrass band by the name of the Tubtones. According to Lawrence, this taught him a great deal about rhythm and contributes to his current sound. [2]
[edit] Return to Canada
In the latter year, Lawrence turned back to Canada, where in north Edmonton news was arousing about an active and talented blues community. In less two weeks of relocating, he formed the R&B group named Rhythm Chil'un, and securing a house gig at Brandy's Blues Bar. As a blues-like tone of music formed in the place, the Marshall Lawrence Band was born again. The music can be described as a high-soaring, classic, and original sound of blues filled with passionate and serious approach.
Currently, from his latest album Where's the Party, he pay's tribute to great veterans of blues music.
[edit] Solos and Duos
Other than playing electric blues with his band, he also performs acoustic dobro blues solo, and duos with a little harmonica on his side.
[edit] Current activities
Marshall Lawrence attended Edmonton’s Howloween Bash in Fall 2000, playing a classic set of blues. In 2001, Lawrence performed at The Shamrock in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. At the Half Time Bar and Grill, Marshall and his band played on the night of March 23, 2003. On July 14, 2004, his band returned at the same joint for another performance.
On the release party of Where's the Party in Sidetrack Cafe of Edmonton, which occurred on April 8, 2004, he opened the show with a classic set of blues. He teased material to be included on his next album The Morning After.
From April 15-17, he recorded his next acoustic blues The Morning After at the Homestead plant of Edmonton, AB, Canada. The album included John Wilds on harmonica on standup bass Russell Jackson.
His next gigs are on September 29, 2006 and on December 2, 2006. There's also a gig booked in 2007 for him.
He introduces a new modern era of blues.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
[edit] Music samples
Wheres the Party
Studio Outtakes
Solo acoustic blues
Acoustic samples, with John Wilds
