April 5, 2012. Jim Marshall, the pioneering amplifier designer and builder whose innovations and reputation led to his being dubbed “The Father of Loud,” has died. He was 88.
Along with Leo Fender, Les Paul, and Seth Lover of Gibson, Jim Marshall was one of the founding fathers of modern music equipment. Introduced during the middle1960s, the Marshal amplifier stack revolutionized live performance, providing the decibel power and glory that has driven rock concerts ever since.