Jim Marshall, the creator of the famous Marshall amps, is dead

We have just heard about the passing of Jim Marshall. Jim’s ascent into the history books as ‘the Father of Loud’ and the man responsible for ‘the Sound of Rock’ is a true rags-to-riches tale. Cruelly robbed of his youth by tubercular bones, Jim rose to become one of the four forefathers responsible for creating the tools that allowed rock guitar as we know and love it today to be born.

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. The beginning of a true legend.

Rest in Peace, Jim.

www.jimmarshall.co.uk