Marshall Grant K-4

[Master Oil Racing Team]

ALSO SEE: http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1899&highlight=marshall+grant

Marshall Grant was one of the guys to beat in the Alky division. I don't know when he started. Maybe Randy will fill us in on Marshall's early career. I also don't know when he quit driving himself. When I started in 1966 I think it was Dick Pond who was driving for Marshall. Every driver he had was a winner. Of course, Marshall is an expert mechanic and he was good at set ups. He has tons of trophies in his house.

In 1972 Marshall was President of N.O.A. At that time NOA was floundering and trying to find direction. A lot more of the APBA drivers came from the north to race in NOA than NOA drivers went north. AOF was just starting and a lot of us went to Gravois Mills Missouri to see what it was all about. We had a meeting at one of the rooms saturday night and Marshall layed out what he thought were some of the troubles of NOA and how to provide a better show. That was the main influence on how my Dad approached his organzation of races after that. Marshall had seen all this coming almost a year earlier when he and Joe Rome spent several hours discussing it at Alexandria in 1971.

We had a lot of enjoyment being around Marshall and his racing crew. My favorite engine was one that we bought from Marshall and was I think the last 700cc alky engine that Billy Seebold ran while he drove for Marshall. Whenever Johnny Cash's band was playing in Houston, San Antonio or Corpus Christi, he would let us know and we would go to the show. Something Joe Rome told me that I wasn't aware of was the show they put on in San Antonio around 1970 was a benefit for a friend of Johnny and Marshall, Tex Ritter. Tex had lost all he had, (I forgot the details), and the show was to help him out. Ironically, Tex's son John Ritter (one of the stars of Three's Company) died the same day that Johnny Cash did.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

...I wish I would have been able to spend more time visiting with you at the races Randy. I can still visualize looking down the lovely rolling hills overlooking the barns where the horses were. I had no idea how much you guys traveled with the horse shows until Joe and I talked with your Dad just before the DePue Reunion.

[Ron Hill]

I just read on AOL that Marshall died yesterday, he was 83...I have is book on the table next to my TV chair......Always felt good to see it sitting there....

Marshall Grant, Bass Player With Johnny Cash, Dies at 83

By WILLIAM GRIMES (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/william_grimes/index.html?inline=nyt-per)








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Marshall Grant, a bass player who, as an original member of Johnny Cash (http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/13/arts/johnny-cash-country-music-bedrock-dies-at-71.html)’s band, the Tennessee Two, helped create the group’s pulsing “boom-chicka-boom” sound, died on Sunday in Jonesboro, Ark. He was 83.

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ws (http://www.nytimes.com/pages/arts/index.html)



His death was confirmed by the Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery in Memphis. Mr. Grant, who lived in Hernando, Miss., was in Jonesboro for the Johnny Cash Festival, an event to raise money to restore Cash’s childhood home in Dyess, Ark.
Mr. Grant, who played acoustic and electric bass with Cash from 1954 to 1980 and was the road manager for the group, provided the thumping foundation on “Folsom Prison Blues,” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1xSt7iganA) “I Walk the Line,” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEV58ztuihs) “Ring of Fire,” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRlj5vjp3Ko) “The Man in Black” and many other songs and on the live albums that Cash recorded at Folsom prison and San Quentin.
Luther Perkins (http://www.lutherperkins.com/), the other original member of the Tennessee Two, played lead guitar and created the scratchy rhythm pattern overlaying Mr. Grant’s bass lines. With the addition of the drummer W. S. Holland in 1960, Cash’s backup became the Tennessee Three.
The group’s signature sound came into being overnight — literally — as Mr. Grant recounted on a number of occasions. Shortly after he switched from rhythm guitar to bass, which he did not know how to play, he and his fellow musicians began experimenting with the group’s new configuration.
“We finally got it tuned, and then we stuck adhesive tape all over the neck with the notes on it, and then we started playing little rhythm patterns,” he said on being inducted into the Musicians’ Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville (http://www.musicianshalloffame.com/) with Mr. Perkins in 2007. “The only thing that we could do was what the world now knows as the boom-chicka-boom-chicka-boom sound that we established that first night.”
Marshall Grant was born on May 5, 1928, near Bryson City, N. C. He moved to Memphis in 1947 and worked as a mechanic at several auto dealerships At the Automobile Sales Company, a Plymouth dealership, he began playing guitar with two fellow employees, Mr. Perkins and A. W. Kernodle, known as Red.
Cash was introduced to the group by his older brother, Roy, the service manager at the dealership, after returning from military service in the Air Force.
Initially, Cash, Mr. Grant and Mr. Perkins all played rhythm guitar, but when a collective decision was made to have Mr. Grant play bass, he bought a battered instrument for $25.
Inspired by Elvis Presley, the group auditioned for Sam Phillips at Sun Records (http://www.sunrecords.com/), playing gospel songs, which Mr. Phillips said he could not sell. Mr. Kernodle, who was now playing steel guitar, found the experience unnerving and dropped out of the group.
It was while working out the accompaniment for “Hey Porter,” a song written by Cash, that the group hit on its signature style. After a return audition at Sun, Cash and the Tennessee Two were signed by Phillips, and along with Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis, became part of the brilliant constellation of stars that emerged from Sun’s studios.
Mr. Grant recorded and toured with Mr. Cash for the next 25 years. A teetotaler and nonsmoker, he took on the arduous task of shepherding Cash to performances through the years of his well-documented drug abuse and erratic, self-destructive behavior. “I took every step that he took, I looked out after him,” he said in a 2008 interview (http://www.classicbands.com/MarshallGrantInterview.html) with the Web site classicbands.com (http://classicbands.com/). “I did everything you could do for a person.”
He chronicled the ups and downs in a memoir, “I Was There When It Happened: My Life With Johnny Cash” (http://books.google.com/books/about/I_Was_There_When_It_Happened_My_Life_wit.html?id=M mJcE5fLxyYC) (2006). The title alludes to the gospel song that the group played for Phillips at their first audition.
The relationship came to grief in 1980. After a series of disputes, Cash fired Mr. Grant, who sued for wrongful termination and embezzlement of retirement money. The suit was settled out of court.
“Marshall was a solid, solid rock,” Roseanne Cash told The Nashville Tennessean. “I cannot imagine what would have happened on those tours without him. He understood how complicated my dad was, that he was a great musician who had real demons.”
After parting ways with Cash, who died in 2003, Mr. Grant managed the Statler Brothers, with whom he had recorded the 1965 hit “Flowers on the Wall.” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s8nRL2bPCU) He later reconciled with Cash and performed with him onstage in 1999.
In addition to his wife, Etta, survivors include a son, Randall.

[F-12]

Sad to hear of his passing. Great musician, outstanding mechanic and set up man, fierce competitor, and wonderful guy. He will be missed.

[Allen J. Lang]

I am sorry to hear of Marshall's passing. I found him very pleasant to talk to. The racing and music world has lost a great man.

[Gene East]

Marshall was always a gentleman and I was proud to know him and call him my friend.

He spent many days at the shop in Quincy back in the "good old days".

Another great one is racing on "Lake Paradise"

As I was reading the email from Paul Simison this morning stating Marshall was no longer with us, I received an unrelated cell phone call that made the hair of the back of my neck stand on end.

My ring tone is "Ring of Fire", Marshall's ring tone was "I Walk the Line"!

Years ago, The Righteous Brothers had a hit recording with the lyrics,"If there's a rock and roll Heaven, well you know they've got a hell of a band".

Hey listen; the band in Country Music Heaven ain't too shabby either!

Rest in Peace Marshall

[Bill Seebold]

Etta and Randall please accept condolences from the entire Seebold Family, Ralph Donald called me last night to give me the sad news. A lot of people knew and raced against Marshall . I had the honor of Driving for him, we did some thing's that were history making !!!
I talk about that wonderful time in Alexandria when we won 6 - championship, what a week end and crew, Marshall on engines, My DAD (Grandpa) on Propeller's, Ws Holland helping, Jerry Penalton & Duke Johnson crewing, Carl Perkins (Blue Suede Shoes) carrying me to and from the boats. A Great Time in My Life and I'll never forget it, something I owe to Marshall !!!!

Bill Seebold, Jr.

[Gene East]

Great picture Karen. Wouldn't it be great to be that young again and know what we know now.

Who is that behind you looking into the cockpit?

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I was in shock yesterday when Joe called me early in the morning and didn't get much of anything done. I know when Joe calls early, it's usually bad news, but I didn't expect him to tell us we lost Marshall.

I had lowered my U.S. flag to half mast on Sunday in honor of the Seals and others that lost their lives in Afghanistan. Yesterday I replaced the Texas flag at half mast with the Tennessee flag that Marshall gave my Dad. I last flew it at half mast when Johnny Cash died. Marshall and my Dad were great friends and him along with Jerry Waldman, Tim Butts, Joe Rome, Harry Bartolomei and myself were working a plan to professionalize the appearance and shows of PRO racing. Having been a member of one of the greatest and most popular bands ever, it was Marshall's ideas that formed the basis of our plan. The rest was just logistics and publicity.

And Bill.....I was able to get my hands on the last D Konig you drove for Marshall, winning I think two D Runabout titles with it. It was faster than anything else out there despite the slight miss it developed after 9800 rpm's. Before I had it, both Billy Hulgan and Jerry Simison drove it for Marshall. I think everyone who was fortunate to have come in contact with Marshall and Etta must feel very blessed to have done so. Rest in peace Marshall, and god bless Etta and Randy.

[David Mason]

Although I never really knew Marshall, for I was too young at the time he was involved in Pro Racing, I heard a LOT about him. To this day I have never heard anything about Marshall that would indicate anything except excellence. We should all hope to develop character such as his.

May he rest in peace, and race again in the Great Boat Race above. Prayers and thoughts to the entire family.

[Danny Pigott]

There was a picture an nice write up about Marshall in the Post and Courier a Charleston SC news paper to day, i was kind of suprised to see it . I remember Marshall from the NOA days. Around 1972 a guy that worked at Dorchester Marine ( Ben Robertson's Merc. dealership) Told me that he went with a friend to a house that had a barn behind it . He said in that barn were more Hydro's and Runabout's an engines of all kinds than he had ever seen, this place was in Miss. I have always wondered if this stuff could have been Marshall's.

[Ron Hill]

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1899&highlight=marshall+grant

More Marshall Grant...

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Thanks Ron. I knew there was more about Marshall than the thread I had started. It seems Joe started another one after some news about Marshall. I had talked to Sam just a little bit earlier today about some kind of condolence photo that could be put together for Etta and Randy that members could attach their names to. He said he thought he could do it, but just wait for the photo I can't find yet.:o But the reason for this post is.....Sam....can you combine it all so all the posts of Marshall are all together?

[oldalkydriver]

Often in life one will ponder or think of certain people they had the pleasure of meeting. Even if this meeting was brief and just a blip in time of that persons life. Because one does not further one's aquaintence with an individual doesn't mean that you don't think about them. The crime is not letting that person know.

I had the pleasure of meeting 2 times in my life. Maybe 2 1/2 times. Once when I was playing in a band for another gentleman at the Shower of Stars in Montgomery Alabama in either 1966 or 1967. I was a kid returning from Viet Nam and in a band that was backing other singers. I had a serious problem and Marshall helped me out with very good advise.

The half was when I was traveling with John Toprahanian and we stopped at a man's house/garage near Texarkana. He had several boats and motors with 3 or 4 people standing around visiting. John and I were leaving just as the others were arriving. I believe one of them was Marshal.

Then there was 1976 in Alexandria LA. We were pitted close to Marshal's rigs and John & I visited him. I casually mentioned that I had meant him in Montgomery and before I could say Alabama, He replied; "how was the advise?" Gave me goose pimples.

I've always thought of him as a friend although I'm sure I was just a blip in his busy life. Nevertheless, I feel proud to have known him and sadden to hear of his passing.

There are very few racers left from my day and I have little contact with any of them. Only when I show up at a race do I have the pleasure of seeing them. Just want all from my era that I could have known, I still think great thoughts about all of you.

[geodavid]

I was at a loss for words when I saw this. It feels like when we lose someone of Marshall's stature, a little bit of racing history is gone. The tributes are wonderful. I feel honored to have had K4 roll by me more than a few times. With deepest sympathy to the Grant Family and his many friends.
Alan

[Ron Hill]

Subject: Marshall Grant

This email is addressed to my kids with copy to online friends who I know have fond memories of Marshall .

While we are sad our old friend is no longer with us, lets all look back on the fond memories we have of him.

I'm using this forum rather than tie up BRF.

My oldest son Eric was my only child during the time I was active on the racing circuit. Emily met Marshall many years later. Darin and Josh never had the honor of meeting Marshall , although they have heard me speak fondly of him many times.

Eric called this morning to talk about an incident involving Marshall over 35 years ago.

Marshall and I were talking in the pits, I believe at DePue. Eric was 5-6 years old and Marshall started talking to him

"Tell Mr. Grant who your favorite singer is son", I said, fully expecting him to say John ny Cash.

Marshall roared with laughter at my embarassment when Eric replied,
"Porter Waggoner".

After he composed himself Marshall asked, "Why Porter Waggoner"?

Eric said,"Because he wears red boots". Marshall replied, "I don't think we'll see John wearing red boots anytime soon".

Emily met Marshall at a Staler Brothers show. Marshall invited us to the theater 2 hours prior to the show to have lunch with him and the road crew, gave us a back stage tour and arranged for us to meet the Stalers.

We even sat on stage during the show at Marshall 's invitation.

That's the kind of man Marshall Grant was. As busy as he was with his music, racing, horses and his personal life, he always took time for other people even if it was just a little boy who liked red boots.

Like Ron said earlier on BRF, I too have an autographed copy of his book that is proudly displayed with my racing memorobilia.

We were all blessed by knowing him!

Rest in Peace Marshall, You've EARNED your spot at Lake Paradise !

[Ron Hill]

I got permission from both Karen and Gene to post these emails. i just felt many people would enjoy reading them, as I have read them almost daily since August, 2011.


From: Karen Cadle
To: Gene East
Sent: Tue, August 16, 2011 8:57:24 PM
Subject: RE: Marshall Grant

“ Uncle Gene ” I agree to all you said. I can not remember a time I did not know Marshall, Miss Etta, Rosanne or Randy. My funniest memory of racing with Marshall and “entourage” was at Worlds in Alex. Rosanne is my age and it was a time when Rosanne was spending a lot of time with Marshall, Etta and “family”… weeeel in true Memphis “Southern Style” Miss Etta brought little Rosanne to Alex fully dressed in a polka dot dress, matching tights, patent leather shoes and a big ole’ bow… so what was a bonafide boat racing 3rd gen to do? Get that poor girl out of those clothes and into something COMFORTABLE and fitting for the pits. As a “seasoned” racing “kid” I knew to bring 2 or 3 swim suits, and 3 pair of Keds tennis shoes. I took Rosanne over to my Pop and Bill Collins trailer and re-dressed her. Took that damn ugly big ol’ bow out of her hair… , brushed her long brown hair, put it in a pony tail… told her to take those hot tights off, put her in my sun suit, my keds, and took her back to Miss Etta. (who didn’t know whether to thank me, or whoop my rear)… but Rosanne thanked me and thanked me again the next time we met.

Love to all,
~”sis”

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Ron...Joe talked to three of the four Statler Brothers at the funeral and I just stood and listened in awe. Each of the three all said that Marshall loved boat racing . They all knew about his boat racing exploits. They had heard some of the stories Joe told about racing. One especially remembered was when Billy Seebold won six NOA World Championships in Alexandria. They all remembered when Carl Perkins told Marshall "We have to take all these trophies to the studio....or they'er not gonna believe us.!"

[Donald]

JB passed away last week in Memphis at the age of 89. I was informed by his son yesterday. I don't know how many remember JB, but he ran C-service with Marshall back in the sixties, mostly in NOA. He would always show up and visit with me when we had a race in Alex. He came to Depue last July and told me he wanted to see one more boat race. He had cancer and knew his days were numbered.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Sorry to hear the news Ralph. It is amazing to me that at his age, he made the trip to DePue after those many years absent from boat racing. I know you are a man of few words when it comes to speaking or writing about your accomplishments and boat racing career, but when we sit down together, you are a wealth of knowledge if someone asks. I'm going to be real busy in this next week, but if it's O.K. with you, I would like to give you a call in the next week or so and get more info about Mr. Barnett and his history of racing to put in the encyclopedia.

[Donald]

Always glad to talk with you Wayne. I admire your record keeping. I never did except for some pictures. I attach a couple of JB when he came to Depue. That's Bruce Nicholson on the left.44886

44887

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Been busy the last week Ralph. I'll give you a call this week. In the meantime I want to share some photos I had intended to post way before now.

I'm sorry we didn't post a bunch of stuff on the thread dedicated to Marshall prior to his passing, but there is much scattered around all over the place. These pics now are beginning at the end of Marshall's life, but the tributes to his accomplishements will go on.

This first pic is Joe and I taking off from Houston Hobby to Memphis. The shadow is our airplane. It's hard enough to make arrangements to get to the funerals of our friends in other states, but as Joe and I talked...we both knew we had to be there. I have known that fact for many years. As we talked on the way, Joe told me the same. It is hard for Joe to take off too, but at least he doesn't do 24/7 call. We get to the airport early, and as we were taking off, I saw the shadow lifting off with us and I thought to myself, I don't ever recall noticing that before from a flight, so I snapped the pic. Marshall was going home and Joe and I were going to be there to help send him off.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I wish the Marshall Grant threads could all be together, and I couldn't decide where to go with the next pictures, so I decided to continue here.

I know Joe and I posted some things about the funeral somewhere,(or maybe we didn't and just said we were :confused:):D Randy told us to join the family, and we got to talk to Randy, Etta, the Statler Brothers, Denny Strickland, who Marshall was working with, and others before the funeral started. I didn't take any photos there out of respect for Etta, Randy and Marshall. They've been around the media types their whole life and there were a bunch of music people there so I figured it would be best to keep my camera in the car.

We had a lot of time to kill after the funeral. When you try to book a flight at the last minute and couple it with getting on the same flight with someone 200 miles away, you don't always get the best schedule.

Joe was prepared though. He had thought ahead and had a quickly built intenerary for us. He looked up Marshall's address from his book and punched it in to his lady friend on the GPS. If Joe didn't follow her directions though she could be real snotty.;).

We found Marshall's house very easily. I was surprised. I always think about Johnny Cash's old house and thought Marshall also lived in a wood clapboard house in the early years. Not so. I don't remember the scene of the house from the movie WALK THE LINE because movie people always change real situations up to make a more dramatic effect. But this is the house that Marshall, Johnny Cash, and Luther Perkins did a lot of practice and rehearsals in prior to going to Sun Studios for their first recording session. I don't know if they ever wrote any songs there, but this is one of the main places they worked out the songs John wrote and others wrote for him.

The day after we got home Joe called Etta to see how she was doing, and she was holding up fine. She is a very strong woman. Joe told her we went to their old house and she said, "Joe.....why didn't you tell me you were going there? I would have given you the key." They have it kept up and that's where Marshall would give interviews. It's still got the same furniture and look from those days. I believe Marshall and Etta moved to their new house across the border into Mississipi around 1973 or early 1974.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Joe knew the route from Marshall's house to his place of work by talking to Marshall many times, and what Marshall told him.

We only made just a couple of jogs from Marhall's house until we got on Union Avenue. Then it was a straight drive down Union to where Marshall worked as a mechanic along with Luther Perkins and Johnny Cash's older brother Roy.

Almost all the time Marshall was the one to open up the store, arriving before 6:00 a.m. After Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two had recorded HEY PORTER at SUN. they listened on the radio. The first time it was played was in the early morning hours by a DJ who went by the name of Sleepy Eyed John.. I have to ask Joe what he said, but he said there was a new band and they had this song, then he played HEY PORTER.

When Marshall heard that.....he pulled over to the side of the road. He was about a block and a half from SUN RECORDS, and where he worked was just a couple of blocks further down. It was fifteen minutes before he could collect his thoughts and when he got to Commercial Motors his friends shouted "Did you hear it Marshall?...Did you hear it?"

We planned to stop about where Marshall did when he first heard the Johnny Cash sound, but apparently the roads, business, and times are different now, and there was no place to pull over. Joe stopped the airport rental car briefly in about the spot where we figured Marshall pulled over to pull himself together after such an overwhelming experience.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

This is where it all began for Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and a lot of others. Sun Studio is a tiny little place. The entrance on the corner, and what is now part of the Sun museum and shop was a small restaurant when Sam Phillips was recording all these great artists. The walls were thin and customers could hear the music that was being recorded. A lot of the customers, no doubt, were fellow musicians. What a historical meal some of those patrons must have had.:cool: The full tour took almost two hours, so Joe and I were not able to do it because of our flight time.

Check out the name of the little side street at the entrance of Sun. There is a sign on the sidewalk that tells people not to stand in the street, but to get the full picture of Sun without a fisheye or other very wide angle lens you have to stand in the street. That's what I did along with the other picture takers.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

"....so I guess I oughta know." That was the tune that Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two played for Sam Phillips at their audition and he told them gospel wouldn't sell. I suppose Sam thought there was some possibilities, but he always could make money recording would be artists so he asked if they had anything else. They played "Hey Porter". Sam like it and said they need a "B" side and he wanted a song to cry by, so Johnny Cash wrote the tune "Cry..Cry..Cry!"

I always thought Sun Studios was a couple of blocks down and around a corner from where Marshall worked, but it was really just a little bit further down Union. Joe and I drove on down, checking addresses and we found it. The building was still there, but it was no longer a car dealership.

"Automobile Sales at the time was the world's largest Desoto-Plymouth dealership, with twenty-three mechanics working in the sservice department. In the summer of 1953, the company hired a mechanic---a tall, slim, black-headed guy, who went to work on the opposite side of the shop. After a couple of days, I decided I would go over and introduce myself. "Say man," I said, "I been seeing you over here, and I've intended to come over and introduce myself, but I just haven 't gotten around to it. My name is Marshall Grant" The lanky fellow stuck out his hand. "My name's Luther Perkins. Glad to meet ya."[I]

That was page 23, chapter 1 of Marshall's book, and the opening of his story. I wish either one of us would have asked which bay Marshall or Luther worked in when Johnny first came into the shop to see his brother Roy and was introduced to Marshall and Luther.

It was a sad trip, but also one to see so many pay tribute to a multitalented friend and loved by many. The last two photos are a departing shot of the muddy Mississipi on the way home and coming into Houston Hobby southeast of downtown not too far from the Astrodome. Joe and I were proud to represent the boat racers among the many, and Etta and Randy talked with us about many, and especially Billy Seebold.