Marshall Grant And The Great Side Men Of Rock History

posted in: Music News • Rock

Rock is a team sport and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. Many a great band has been broken up by a member that has forgotten this rule. While it’s the frontman that may get all the glamour and the attention (often times, deservedly so), it’s the other guys that make a band. Many are support players, filling instrumental gaps and contributing to the overall “chemistry” of the group. However, some of those “support players” are anything but. Occasionally, some will rise to a special level of distinction, that of the side man; someone who can distinguish themselves not only through their musical ability but a certain je ne sai quoi.

The great thing about being a side man is that the position allows greater flexibility then the front man. The front man is, of course, expected to be in the front, the singer, the (obvious) star. But good side men shine through, so it’s unsurprising that many have gone on to form their own groups. For example, guitarist Jimi Hendrix wasn’t birthed a star. Before his time with The Experience, Hendrix was backing up the likes of the Isley Brothers and Little Richard among others.

The more common side man is the hired gun, the mercenary player that is versatile and professional to perform in whatever group or set up they are presented with; a job which is not as easy as it sounds. And these guys are real workhorses. Take Pino Palladino and Robert Finck for example. Knowing Palladino personally would likely reduce one’s degrees of separation from any major rock performer from the past three decades to one, thanks to stints with The Who and John Mayer. Finck is no slouch either, pulling drum duty for some of the ’90s greatest alt-rock royalty”as a longtime member of Nine Inch Nails and with Guns N’ Roses.

So, you’re probably wondering why we’re waxing on about musical sidekicks. The contributions of the side man have gained some unfortunate exposure lately thanks to the passing of one of the greats, Clarence Clemons. The Big Man left his sonic mark in many acts, none more prominently then with Bruce Springsteen as a member of the E Street Band. However, another notable side man recently passed and inspired us to bow our hats to some of the great “second bananas” in music.

Upright bass player Grant Marshall, who passed away on August 7th at the age of 83, was an original member of Johnny Cash‘s backing band The Tennessee Two. Marshall appeared on many of Cash’s most famous recordings including Cash’s set at Folsom State Prison. Marshall’s relationship with Cash did not end on the stage, with Marshall acting as the man in black’s tour manager for a time. Eventually, the two men had a falling out during the ’70s in the midst of a very troubled period for the country singer. While Marshall and Cash had their professional and personal scraps, the two men reconciled later in life, playing shows together in the late ’90s. Also, it’s worth noting that neither Cash’s or Marshall’s legacies would be what they were without the other. So, Marshall, we salute you and the other great side men of rock history. Keep up the good work.