Early Life
Marshall is the third of five children born to an African-American/Native American father and a Jewish mother. He grew up and attended school in South Central Los Angeles, graduating from Mid City Alternative Magnet School.
In the 8th grade, Marshall broke his leg during a football game he was playing with friends and spent the better part of the year being homeschooled while he recuperated, first at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, and later at home where he spent several months in a full body cast. Marshall later credited this period in his life for preparing him for musical study, as the forced inactivity calmed down his naturally hyperactive personality thus giving him the focus and patience he would need in order to develop as a musician.
Marshall began playing guitar in his teens, counting as musical influences P-Funk (Parliament Funkadelic), Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats, Prince, Django Reinhardt, Steven Hufsteter, Matthew Ashman from Bow Wow Wow, the Clash, Michael Jackson, the Talking Heads, Björk, and the Isley Brothers, among many others.
After high school, Marshall worked briefly as a messenger for downtown Los Angeles law firms. He has also taught guitar at Los Angeles City College and The Musician's Institute.
Read more about this topic: Arik Marshall
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