Music pioneer Jim Marshall has passed away at the age of 88.
Along with Les Paul and Leo Fender, Jim Marshall was one of the people to forever change popular music. So much so that the creations of all three remain the cornerstone of electric music today, with the “wall of Marshalls” remaining one of the most iconic sights. Launched in 1965, the Marshall amplifier wasn’t an immediate hit, and it was perhaps Jimi Hendrix more than anyone who popularised it after discovering he could daisy-chain one head to another. Today we can see that almost everyone who’s anyone in music has used a Marshall amplifier from the 1960s to the present day.
Not one to rest on his laurels, after crafting the perfect amp Jim Marshall made more, and the impressive product line includes the 1959 SLP, the revered JCM 800 and 900, before the two-channel separate EQ amps and today’s beastly 12 channel JVM models. Able to produce the cleanest of cleans and the heaviest tones all in one package, it’s no wonder the Marshall has become such an iconic and legendary piece of equipment.
In honour of its founder, Marshall Amps has an obituary on its website:
It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved founder and leader for the past 50 years, Jim Marshall. While mourning the Guv’nor though, we also salute a legendary man who led a full and truly remarkable life.
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. The ground breaking quartet also includes the late, great trio of Leo Fender, Les Paul and Seth Lover – together with Jim, they truly are the cornerstones of all things rock.In addition to the creation of the amps chosen by countless guitar heroes and game changing bands, Jim was also an incredibly humble and generous man who, over the past several decades, has quietly donated many millions of pounds to worthy causes.
While the entire Marshall Amplification family mourns Jim’s passing and will miss him tremendously, we all feel richer for having known him and are happy in the knowledge that he is now in a much better place which has just got a whole lot louder!
Rest in Peace & thank you Jim.
Your memory; the music and joy your amps have brought to countless millions for the past five decades; and that world-famous, omnipresent script logo that proudly bears your name will always live on.
