Julian Junior Marvin was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He moved to London as a child where his family and the UK theater community nurtured his love for acting and music. He appeared in The Beatles' film Help, followed by a number of successful appearances on British television. Julian Junior was also a member of the London cast of the musical Hair and can be heard on the original London cast recording.
After playing in various UK-based bands such as Keef Hartley and Linda Lewis, Julian Junior continued his musical apprenticeship in America playing with such Blues and R&B legends as T-Bone walker, Billy Preston, and Ikt & Tina Turner. He wuickly earned a reputation as an innovative and expressive blues/rock guitarist.
Junior followed up with his own rock band, Hanson, and was quickly signed to Emerson, Lake, & Palmer's Manticore/Atlantic Records by Mario "The Big M" Medious the label manager. Two albums were produced for this agreement, the first one was "Now Hear This" and the second entitled Magic Dragon.
Finding himself an in-demand session guitarist, particularly for artists on the Island Records label, Julian Junior Marvin also teamed up with Johnny Burns, engineer/producer of Genesis and Julian Junior also contributed to albums by Traffic, Fairport Convention, Reebop Kwaku Baah, toots & the Maytals, Heptones, Burning Spear, Joseph Hill & Culture, Stomu Tamashita, Remi Kabaka, eddie Quansah, Rico Rodriguez, and Julian Junior also appeared on Steve Winwood's solo albums.
February 14, 1977 was a pivotal day in history for Julian Junior Marvin. He was invitied to join both Stevie Wonder's band, after a phone call from Stevie Wonder, and he was also introduced to Bob Marley & the Wailers c/o of Island Records CEO, Chris Blackwell. On that said day! The rest is history. The acclaimed Exodus LP became Junior's debut with Bob Marley & the Wailers. In 1999, Time Magazine declared Exodus the Album of the 20th Century, while "One Love" was names Song of the Millenium in 2000. Julian Junior Marvin was not only lead guitarist and vocalist but also co-producer on all subsequent Bob Marley & the Wailers albums. Julian Junior toured worldwide with the Wailers until Bob's passing in 1981.
Solo projects include "Wailin' For Love," "Smokin'," "To The Big M Music," and "Lion To Zion Dub Wise." In 2002, Julian Junior was included in Guitar World Magazine's "Top 100 Guitarists of All Time" at #26 and for his guitar solo on "Africa Unite" on the Bob Marley & the Wailers Survival album. Julian Junior Marvin continues to carry on the legend of Bob Marley by touring the globe with "The Legendary Wailers featuring Julian Junior Marvin" following the group's hugely successful 2024/2025 World Tour.
In 2024 Julian Junior Marvin released a solo album on Flat Iron Recordings entitled "Happy Family" and in 2025 there will be an album titled "Tribute to Bob Marley" released. The Legendary Wailers are looking ahead with "Positive Vibrations" and into many years to come.
