Radio One Chicago

Ben Marshall’s earliest memories of music were dancing around the house singing along to Elton John and Beatles records with his family when he was just a child. By age 11, he was drawn to the guitar and remembers bugging his parents to buy him one. After constant persistence, he received his first guitar at the early age of 13. While the neighborhood kids were out playing, he was up in his bedroom listening and trying to jam along with Jim Croce, Muddy Waters, Led Zeppelin, Boston, Eric Clapton, and The Beach Boys records to name a few. “I had a record player and a bunch of vinyl records and I would just listen and try to play along,” says Marshall. He can remember that some of the neighbors thought it a bit odd that he spent so much time in his room. “I was just simply dedicated and was really bitten by the blues bug at an early age. I was completely focused on learning from the greats like BB King, Eric Clapton and Muddy Waters”. The sound of blues music touched a spot deep within his soul.