Center Stage: An Abandoned Albums Podcast Episode 502 - Marvin Etzioni on Lone Justice, Marvin Country... and a lot more!
On this episode, Keith & Geoff welcome Marvin Etzioni into Thunderlove Studio - he is also known as the Mandolin Man. Etzioni is best known as a founder and bassist for the band Lone Justice.
He is also a noted songwriter, composer, and record producer. He has released three solo albums in addition to performing with loads of artists.
In 1982, Etzioni met Ryan Hedgecock, who shared his love for country and roots music. Hedgecock was already performing with Maria McKee. Hedgecock and McKee asked Etzioni to back them on bass duties, along with drummer Don Heffington and the band Lone Justice was launched.
Etzioni was a member of Lone Justice from 1983 to 1986, during which he encouraged them to write original material, and contributed the songs "East of Eden," "Working Late," "You Are the Light," and "Soap, Soup and Salvation" (written with McKee).
Marvin has produced for numerous artists, including Peter Case, Counting Crows, and Toad the Wet Sprocket. Etzioni's compositions have been covered by Cheap Trick, Victoria Williams, Julie Miller and Judy Collins. Etzioni produced and wrote songs with the Williams Brothers (Andy Williams' nephews Andrew and David).
Together with David Williams, Etzioni co-wrote "Can't Cry Hard Enough" which became his most successful song.
In the 1990s, Etzioni recorded and released three albums: The Mandolin Man (1991), Bone (1992) and Weapons of the Spirit (1994).Etzioni employs the analog-vinyl-digital (AVD) technique, in which his master tapes are converted first to vinyl, and the vinyl is recorded to digital for the final product.
In 2012, Etzioni released the 2-disc album Marvin Country on Nine Mile Records. On the album, which had been in development since 1985, Etzioni played mandolin, mandocello, guitar, bass, piano, Mellotron, porchboard and keyboards. Included are duets with Lucinda Williams ("Lay It on the Table"),Steve Earle ("Ain't No Work in Mississippi"), Richard Thompson ("It Don't Cost Much"), Buddy Miller ("Living Like a Hobo"), John Doe ("The Grapes of Wrath"), Maria McKee ("You Possess Me"), and the Dixie Hummingbirds ("You Are the Light").
For most songs, the backing band was Heffington (drums), Steve Fishell (pedal steel), Gurf Morlix (bass), Tammy Rogers (fiddle), and Buddy Miller and Duane Jarvis (guitar).
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