“I got home, called Stevie and said, ‘I’m so sorry, but I’ve just been offered a job with Bob Marley’”: Junior Marvin recalls landing gigs with Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley on the same day – and how he was forced to make a life-changing decision

Julian "Junior" Marvin and The Wailers perform at The Paramount Theater on August 17, 2019 in Huntington, New York
(Image credit: Al Pereira/Getty Images)

Across his prolific career, Junior Marvin has played with the likes of Steve Winwood, Toots & the Maytals and Lenny Kravitz. However, he’s perhaps most recognised for the role he held as electric guitar player for the late Bob Marley.

As it happens, when Marley was first seeking Marvin’s services in the late ‘70s, the guitarist had already been approached by Stevie Wonder, who offered him a lucrative deal to join his band.

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Matt Owen
Senior Staff Writer, GuitarWorld.com

Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.

With contributions from