Guitar virtuoso Russell Marsland has been a powerful presence on the Vancouver music scene for more than 30 years. At 15, he would sneak out of his parents’ East Van house to play between strip shows at the Penthouse; two years later he was in the house band at famed ’70’s hangout Lasseter’s Den, performing with Powder Blues guitarist Tom Lavin and David Lanz, keyboard player for Frank Zappa.
In 1978 Russel co-founded Vancouver’s R&B All Stars. The band played it’s first gig opening for Long John Baldry. Russel has performed with hundreds of artists, and has shared the stage with the Allman Brothers, BB King, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, and Steppenwolf.
Russel continues to perform; he has been a headliner for four years at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival; at the Pender Harbour Blues Festival, and was the opening act at the inaugural Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival He also performs with his current group, the Hitmen at venues around Vancouver.
Russel’s critically acclaimed CD Dig Deep achieved significant airplay in New Orleans, and caught the attention of Alligator Records in 2008.