By THERESA VASQUEZ
Special to the Parade
Where did you grow up? “I grew up in the hometown of George Strait!” replied Brett Marshall, as he referred to Pearsall, Texas, and his life as a youth.
Marshall was reminiscent of his childhood, and how he cultivated a passion for music. He recalled his first love of music in fifth grade, at a time when the trombone was his instrument of practice, and the one-hour drive his parents made to San Antonio in an effort to expose Marshall to experts in the field of music.
“I was memorized by my father’s talents in music, trumpet and song. They were inspirational to me. There was one song I can recall titled, ‘You made me love you’, and combined with phonograph records and such, I was fascinated with music,” said Marshall.
He also recalled the deep involvement of his band directors, whom were also brothers, and how they remained his music directors from fifth grade through 12th.
“They were the second greatest source of inspiration for me,” he said.
Marshall started with the piano, self-taught in ninth grade, and once he was consistent his parents sought private lessons for him. They drove to San Antonio once per week for private lessons with a professor out of Trinity University.
As such, the piano was not as attractive to Marshall in the beginning as he recalled.
“My parents had this old piano in the house and wanted me to take lessons. The piano instructor would whack me on the hands, etc. I was very young.”
Throughout high school, Marshall remained in private lessons, and ultimately turned down a full scholarship from Trinity University to attend his first choice (Baylor University) to study piano, and church, music.
Most of Marshall’s music is connected with the church, and he has devoted many years to his Christian roots. Today, Marshall has fused his passions into what is now his third CD, “Taking You Back.”
The CD contains two original songs, along with various standards of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. His fascination with black gospel stirred something deep in him when he was young, and although he wanted to play the saxophone early on, orthodontic braces led him to the trombone.
In addition to Marshall’s passion for gospel and Christian music, as he reflects on the emotions they can “stir up,” he shares a deep appreciation for jazz, and shared this, “I had an album of my father’s called ‘Headliners,’ and two songs I listened to all the time. One recorded by Tony Bennett titled “Begin to Beguine” knocked my socks off, so I built a love for old pop/jazz as well.”
Marshall has received various awards for his musical talents, and is excited to once again share his creative expressions on South Padre Island.
A live performance is scheduled for Feb. 26 at the Hilton Garden Inn where Brett Marshall will display his various talents to include piano, and vocal. A full ensemble of guitar, bass, and drums will be included in the performance, and the performance is set to start at 7 p.m.
For more information on Brett Marshall CDs, or the live performance, call him at (956) 266-2205.
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