- Marshall Lawrence
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Marshall Lawrence Born 1956 Origin Windsor, Ontario, Canada Genres Blues, rock Instruments Harmonica
Steel-string acoustic guitarWebsite doctorblues.com Marshall Lawrence (born 1956) is a Canadian acid blues musician. Lawrence is often referred to as the "Doctor of the Blues."[1]
Contents
Biography
Early years
Lawrence became interested in rock and roll at age 10 and asked his father for a guitar. Lawrence enjoyed his Echo semi-acoustic guitar and was determined to learn how to play it, inspired by Jimi Hendrix.
Lawrence played his first gig in 1969 at Windsor, Ontario, under a band named The Peanut Gallery, playing a 1969 Gibson SG through a Fender Dual Showman blew an amp on "Johnny B. Goode." As a teen, he spent most of 1970s and 1980s exploring guitar rock styles, while he was employed at a car factory in Windsor. Later on in his life, Lawrence moved east to Kingston to pursue a Ph.D in psychology.
Start and growth
Lawrence followed the techniques of his famous idols then through buying albums from Chuck Berry, Johnny Winter, the 1970s 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. Lawrence began to play 1970s funk, groove and reggae with the groups Masala and Shock Walter. Simultaneously, Lawrence began experimenting with MIDI technology, by playing Tower of Power-style horn lines, a solo flute and digital FX on his Roland-equipped Strat.
Life without music
By 1996, Lawrence 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 being 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.
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.[citation needed]
His album Where's the Party pays tribute to great veterans of blues music.
Technique
Lawrence mixes many styles of blues to his music. Henceforth, he is given the nickname "The Doctor of Blues." His music can be described as a fierce, energetic blend of blues, rock, soul, and funk. Together he calls it "acid blues." Another way to describe his technique is a tribute to traditional blues, but mixed with an energetic style.
References
- ^ Brake, Eddie (2004-04-18). "Marshall Lawrence Band - Where's the Party?". eJazzNews. http://www.ejazznews.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3017&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
External links
Categories:- 1956 births
- Living people
- Canadian blues singers
- Canadian blues guitarists
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