MP3 Marshall Dabney - Crown Jewel

"Marshall's love for his guitar shines through all the songs on his albums and he manages to find exciting ways to sound new and fresh." George McIntyre-Musician, Producer.

10 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Classic Rock, JAZZ: Jazz-Rock



Details:
"Marshall is one of the most versatile musicians/composers I've ever had the pleasure of working with. Each time I receive a new song from him I am blown away at how unique and different it is from the last. He has a great sense of chord structure and rhythmic complexity which give his projects a great deal of depth. His layered guitar work and vocal harmonies are a great compliment to one another." -Nate Reece-musician

Marshall was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but was raised in Riverside, California with his two older brothers and a younger sister. In the 1970's you may have found him on a baseball field, at the local beach, on a ski slope, or riding his dirt bike in the back hills of the city. You might have seen the pre-teen behind the parts counter at Skip Fordyce Motorcycle Center, his family owned business in Riverside.
It was the sounds of Peter Frampton and Chicago that first inspired Marshall to pick up a guitar and decide to take lessons. But it was the harder edge of Jimmy Page, Edward Van Halen and Randy Rhoads that would awaken his aspiration to play lead guitar and write his own music. The next natural step was to form a group that could breathe life into his ideas. From this need for expression, several different bands formed with various other players along the way. Most notably, was a band called Xanthys.

Xanthys would entertain at local parties and clubs during the early 1980's, and become fairly well known in the Inland Empire. They covered some of Marshall's favorite songs by other artists, such as Van Halen, The Who & Led Zeppelin. He also got a chance to try out some of his original material.

As the band's popularity grew, so grew the desire in Marshall to discover ways to expand and polish his natural talent. Though local followers were clearly dazzled by his playing, and while he enjoyed performing with the band, he knew there was more to his life that lay somewhere beyond that setting. With strong encouragement from his parents, he chose the path to higher education. At Fullerton College and the University of Southern California, he would earn associate and bachelors degrees in music before the end of the decade. This marked the beginning of a whole new world of possibilities for Marshall, but it also marked the end of his days with the band.

During his college years, Marshall was exposed to genres and musicians that impacted his attitude and challenged his abilities. He focused intently on his studies and played tirelessly, all the while devouring material from artists that still inspire him today. Guitarists like Larry Carlton, Allan Holdsworth and Pat Metheny would springboard him to higher levels of appreciation for the craft. He also continued working weekends at the dealership, which allowed him to gradually acquire bits of recording equipment for his burgeoning home studio, (including the very first Apple "Macintosh" computer and a 4 track tape machine). He was taking some recording arts classes and learning about audio engineering through trial and error. All of this left little time for a social life, and it wasn't until his final year at USC that he would reform an acquaintance with Lisa Garver, the young woman who would eventually become his wife.

In the years following his formal education, Marshall divided his time between a new wife, selling motorcycles with his father, and 25 guitar students. All the while, he was "multi-tracking" the musical ideas that were flowing through him. This was a prolific period that lasted until 1992 when his father became terminally ill and passed away in July of that year. Marshall took on the colossal responsibility of managing Skip Fordyce in his father's absence while the family decided what was to be done with the business. Soon, the decision was made to keep (and grow) the business. His siblings would eventually get more involved, delegating the management responsibilities. This strategy allowed Marshall to devote more time to music again.

Though he performed at weddings, limited engagements, and could be seen playing weekly for his church, Marshall concentrated most of his energy on writing. His music catalogue continued to grow, but it wasn't until 2000 that he catapulted from magnetic tape recording to the advanced, compact disk format. Since that time, he produced three CD's single handedly, (including his latest 'Crown Jewel') and co-produced his project, (Your Glory) with a fellow music major from his years at USC (George McIntyre).

Marshall continues to live in Southern California with his wife and two children. He remains involved in the family business and continues to enjoy riding motorcycles and frequent trips to the ocean. He draws inspiration from multiple sources, and has never stopped writing & recording.

It is safe to assume that we have not heard the last of Marshall⦠or his music.