Hank Marvin

Hank Marvin was born Brian Robson Rankin in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. As a child, he played banjo and piano. After hearing Buddy Holly, he decided to learn the guitar and also adopted Holly style dark-rimmed glasses.[2]

He chose his stage name while launching his career. It is an amalgamation of his childhood nickname, Hank, which he used to differentiate himself from friends also named Brian, and the first name of Marvin Rainwater, the country and rockabilly singer.

Sixteen-year-old Marvin and his Rutherford Grammar School friend, Bruce Welch, met Johnny Foster, Cliff Richard's manager, at The 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, London. Foster was looking for a guitarist for Cliff Richard's UK tour and was considering Tony Sheridan. Instead he offered Marvin the position. Marvin joined the Drifters, as Cliff Richard's group was then known, provided there was a place for Welch.

Marvin met Richard for the first time at a nearby Soho tailor's shop,[3] where Richard was having a fitting for a pink stage jacket. The Drifters had their first rehearsal with Richard at the Webb family home (Cliff's parents) in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.

Hank Marvin

His first critically lauded, self-titled solo album of instrumentals, which featured guitar set to orchestrated backing, was released in 1969, following the first disbanding of the Shadows, in late 1968. The single "Sacha" topped the singles chart in New South Wales, Australia, having been 'discovered' by two DJs at 2WG Wagga Wagga.[4] Marvin's solo career was then suspended due to Shadows reunions, first for a Far East tour and 'live' album in 1969, then a studio album in 1970 (Shades of Rock) and again in the early 1970s. He has experimented with styles and material, doing instrumental albums, some with mostly vocals (e.g. Words and Music, All Alone With Friends), one with only acoustic guitars and one with a guitar orchestra (The Hank Marvin Guitar Syndicate).

In 1970, Marvin and Welch formed Marvin, Welch & Farrar, a vocal-harmony trio which failed to appeal to Shadows fans or to contemporary music fans. They became 'Marvin & Farrar' for a vocal album in 1973 and then reverted to the Shadows in late 1973, for the instrumental Rockin' with Curly Leads album. The Shadows came second for the United Kingdom in the 1975 Eurovision song contest.

Marvin wrote "Driftin'", "Geronimo", "Spider Juice" (his daughter's name for orange juice), "I Want You to Want Me" for the Shadows, and "The Day I Met Marie". He co-wrote Richard's 1960 hit; 'Gee Whizz It's You' with Ian Samwell. With Welch, Brian Bennett, and John Rostill, he wrote hits for Cliff Richard, including; "On the Beach", "I Could Easily Fall in Love with You", "Time Drags By", and "In the Country".

In 1969 and 1970, he teamed with Richard for: two 'Cliff & Hank' hit singles, his own song; 'Throw Down a Line' (also recorded by Marvin, Welch & Farrar), and 'The Joy of Living', while Richard also had a hit with his ecology song, 'Silvery Rain'.

In 1977, Marvin played lead guitar on Roger Daltrey's third solo album, One of the Boys, on the tracks Parade and Leon. He co-wrote Olivia Newton-John's 1977 hit 'Sam' with John Farrar and Don Black, and produced albums for the British showman Des O'Connor.

In 1988, Marvin collaborated with French keyboardist and composer Jean Michel Jarre on the track "London Kid", on Jarre's Revolutions album and was a guest in Jarre's Destination Docklands concert at London's Royal Victoria Dock. Jarre said the Shadows' success had influenced him and led to his decision to devote his career to instrumental music.

Marvin appeared with Leslie Nielsen in an advert for Red Rock Cider, which was done as a parody of Nielsen's Police Squad! films. In a bar scene, Nielsen calls out, "Hey, you over there, in the shadows!", after which Marvin steps forward. When Nielsen asks Marvin to "accompany" him (police talk for taking someone down to the station), Marvin literally accompanies him, on the guitar, as Nielsen sings the product's jingle.

In 1992, Duane Eddy guested on Marvin's album Into the Light on the track "Pipeline".

Marvin and the Shadows reformed for a 2004 Final Tour, and a 2005 European tour was also organised.

Marvin dueted twice with French guitarist Jean-Pierre Danel – on his 2007 and 2010 albums, both top-ten hits and certified gold. Their two singles hit the iTunes charts in France, Norway, Finland and Germany, and later (when released as an EP from Danel's compilation The Hit List) in Ireland, United Kingdom, Poland, United States, South Africa and Thailand. Marvin also participated on one of his DVDs and wrote the foreword for Danel's book about the Fender Stratocaster.

While Welch and Bennett became the Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to music, Marvin declined for "personal reasons".[5]

On 28 October 2009, Marvin was presented with a BASCA Gold Badge Award[6] in recognition of his unique contribution to music.

Marvin with Cliff Richard and Bruce Welch on 50th anniversary reunion tour 2009

His first wife was Beryl, with whom he had four children.[7] He is currently married to Carole, with whom he had two children.[8]

Since 1986, Marvin has lived in Perth, Western Australia. He has made impromptu appearances on stage when musician friends visit the area, such as in February 2013 when Cliff Richard held a concert at Sandalford Winery. He is a Jehovah's Witness.[9] Marvin runs a recording studio, Nivram studios, part of Sh-Boom studios in Tiverton Street, Perth, owned by Trevor Spencer and Gary Taylor. He has also developed a keen interest in the music of jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt and performs regularly with his group, "Hank Marvin's Gypsy Jazz", whose repertoire consists of a mix of Reinhardt originals and new tunes composed in the gypsy jazz genre.

Despite being widely imitated at the height of his fame, Marvin's playing style is distinctive and instantly recognisable, characterised by fluid use of the tremolo arm (usually of his signature red Fender Stratocaster) with a volume pedal to achieve a particularly expressive sound that compensated for the lack of vocal content in much of his work.[10]

Marvin influenced many British rock guitarists, including George Harrison,[11] Eric Clapton,[11] David Gilmour,[11] Brian May,[12] Mark Knopfler,[11] Peter Frampton,[13] Steve Howe,[14] Roy Wood,[15] Tony Iommi,[16] Pete Townshend,[17] Jeff Beck[18] and Jimmy Page.[19] Australian guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel has also paid homage to Marvin on various recordings.

In Canada, Cliff Richard and the Shadows had top 10 hits, especially from 1961 to 1965. Canadian guitarists Randy Bachman and Neil Young credit Marvin as influential, Young penning the song "From Hank to Hendrix" on his Harvest Moon album in partial tribute.[20][21]

"Hank Marvin" is rhyming slang for "starvin" ("starving").[22] This slang was referenced in a 2012 television advertisement for Mattessons meat company.[23]

• 1956 Riverside Skiffle group Crescent City Skiffle Group: Marvin (banjo), John Tate (guitar), Derek Johnson (guitar), Joe Rankin (bass), Mal Malarky (mandolin), and Howard Muir (wb), John Clayton (guitar)
• 1956–1957 The Railroaders (No. 1): Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), George Williams (guitar), John Clayton (guitar), Jim (drums)
• 1956–1957 The Railroaders (No. 2): Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), Eddie Silver (guitar), George Williams (bass), and Jim ? (drums)
• 1958 The Vipers (aka the Vipers Skiffle group) live concert: Wally Whyton (vocals), Johnny Booker (guitar), Hank Marvin (guitar), Jet Harris (bass) and Johnny Pilgrim (wb)
• 1958 The Five Chesternuts 7" single ("Jean Dorothy" on Columbia): Gerry Hurst (vocals), Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), Neil Johnson (bass) and Pete Chester (drums)

• 1994 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass), Brian Bennett (drums)
• 1995 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass), Matthew Letley (drums)
• 1997 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass), Matthew Letley (drums)
• 1998 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass), Matthew Letley (drums)
• 2000 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass), Peter May (drums)
• 2002 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass), Fergus Gerrand (drums)

• Spaghetti Junction Work's Nice – If You Can Get It/Step Right Up Columbia DB 8935
• Des O'Connor – Another Side Des O'Connor – LP – NSPL 18559.
• Flair – Stop Look & Listen – LP – MLP 15611.
• Flair – Fair – LP – CC 227324
• Flair – Fair Play – LP – CC 327224

• 1972: Spaghetti Junction Work's Nice – If You Can Get It/Step Right Up Columbia DB 8935
• 1976: Evita: guitar on "Buenos Aires"
• 1977: Dennis Waterman Waterman (also features Brian Bennett)
• 1977: Roger Daltrey One of the Boys – guitar on "Parade" and "Leon"
• 1978: Des O'Connor Another Side of Des O'Connor
• 1979: Wings Back to the Egg – "Rockestra Theme" and "So Glad to See You Here"
• 1982: British Electric Foundation Music of Quality and Distinction Volume 1, guitar on "Anyone Who Had a Heart" with Sandie Shaw and "It's Over" with Billy MacKenzie
• 1983: Tracey Ullman You Broke My Heart in 17 Places: guitar on "Move Over Darling" and "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places"
• 1983: Leo Sayer Have You Ever Been in Love : guitar on "Don't Wait Until Tomorrow"
• 1984: Shakin' Stevens "Teardrops" single
• 1985: Dire Straits plays "Going Home" ("Local Hero's Theme"), with the band, as a special guest at Live at Wembley
• 1986: Cliff Richard and The Young Ones "Living Doll" (UK charts No. 1)
• 1988: Jean Michel Jarre Revolutions guitar on "London Kid" (UK charts No. 52)
• 1989: Jean Michel Jarre Destination Docklands: guitar on "London Kid" and "Rendez-Vous IV"
• 1992: Brian May We are the Champions Instrumental cover
• 1995: Alan Jones A Shadow in Time album: guest on title track "A Shadow in Time"
• 1998: Jane McDonald "You're My World" single
• 2004: The Strat Pack: guitar on "The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt," "Sleep Walk" and "Apache"
• 2005: Richard Hawley "I'm Absolutely Hank Marvin", B-side of "Coles Corner" single
• 2007: Peter Frampton Fingerprints: guitar on "My Cup of Tea" (also features Brian Bennett)
• 2007: Jean-Pierre Danel "Nivram" (French Charts No. 15, No. 8 Norway, No. 86 Germany) + Blues jam session on DVD
• 2008: Jason Donovan "Let It Be Me" on Dreamboats and Petticoats
• 2008: Le QuecumBar Patrons "Stars of Gypsy Swing" ("Coquette", "Noto Swing")
• 2010: Jean-Pierre Danel "M Appeal" (Norwegian charts No. 7, Finland No. 99)

Marvin also played guitar on the following tracks of library music recorded for Bruton Music:

• "Fighter Plane" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on Top of the Range
• "Conquest of Space" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on Grandiose Impressive Panoramic
• "Human Desert" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on Human Desert

• List of guitarists
• List of people from Newcastle upon Tyne
• Rhyming slang

• Hank Marvin at AllMusic
• Hank Marvin Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2019)