Marvin, Junior (1949-Present)

He is a guitarist and singer-songwriter born Donald Hanson Marvin Kerr Richards Jr. in Kingston, Jamaica, who has also been credited as Junior Hanson-Marvin, Junior Hanson and Junior Kerr. He relocated to Britain when he was a child and while he was living in London he started to learn more about acting and music, making appearances on TV after being in The Beatles’ successful film, Help.

He went to the United States where he performed with Ike & Tina Turner and T-Bone Walker, among others, and in England he was a member of Blue Ace Unit and White Rabbit, who Linda Lewis also performed with, and soon he became known for his own style of guitar playing. Not leaving the acting out of the fray he was in the cast of London’s production of the musical Hair and appeared on the original cast recording.

The turn of the 1970s came and he joined the Keef Hartley Band as Junior Kerr and appeared on their albums Seventy Second Brave and Lancashire Hustler. Then establishing his own group in 1973 he formed the rock group Hanson where he was known as Junior Hansen. They released the albums Now Hear This and Magic Dragon before disbanding and he went to become a session musician for Island Records.

After invitations to join Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley, he met up with Bob Marley on Valentine’s Day in 1977 and became a member of The Wailers Band as Junior Marvin. From then he would tour with and appear on all of the recordings by Bob Marley and The Wailers. He stayed with them after Bob Marley passed away in 1981, at his request, and finally left in 1997, returning for a tour in 2005.

He concentrated on his solo career during this time, touring the world in 1999 as “Junior Marvin and Friends”, founding his own band called Rock Roots and releasing his own album Wailin’ for Love in 2007.

He has worked with many other musicians during the course of his career including Burning Spear, Sandy Denny, Fairport Convention, Lenny Kravitz, The Meditations, Toots & The Maytals and Bunny Wailer.

Appearing on numerous albums, his work has featured on Babylon by Bus, Exodus, Kaya, Surivival, and Uprising by Bob Marley & The Wailers, Who Feels It Knows It by Rita Marley, ID, Jah Message, Majestic Warriors and My Friends with The Wailers Band and Steve Winwood by Steve Winwood. He also embarked on his “Junior Marvin & Wailin’ Love” world tour.

Bob Marley & The Wailers recordings
Could You Be Loved (Bob Marley )
Island WIP 6610-A (UK 45)

One Drop (Bob Marley )
Island WIP 6610-B (UK 45)

Redemption Song (Band Version)(Bob Marley )
Island: WIP 6653-B ( UK 45 PS)

Sources:

Marvin, Junior (1949-Present)

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