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Johnny (b. John Senator Marvin, 11 July 1897, Butler, Oklahoma, USA, d. 20 December 1945, Hollywood, California, USA.
Around 1913, Johnny (who played guitar and banjo and had previously left home at the age of 12 to join a circus) joined a traveling show called the Royal Hawaiians, where he learned the steel guitar and ukulele.
After naval service in World War I, he moved into vaudeville.
As Honey Duke And His Uke, he worked his way to New York.
For five years, he had a daily radio show on network NBC.
He made records and even appeared on Broadway in the musical Honeymoon Lane.
In 1928, he was joined by brother Frankie (also a good steel guitarist) and using several differing names, he was soon recording for several labels.
Although Johnny recorded for Decca in the mid-30s, the Depression had basically ended his solo career.
He worked with Autry as a writer and producer on the Melody Ranch Show and wrote around 80 songs for Autry's films, including "Dust". During World War II,
Johnny made several tours to the South Pacific to entertain army personnel.
In 1943, in the Papuan jungles, he contacted dengue fever, which ultimately led to his death from a heart attack in 1945.


The recordings represented on the CD release present Johnny Marvin during the early stages of his career on the brink of stardom.
The Edison sides show his many creative styles and advanced ukulele technique.
There are extensive ukulele solos and scat singing with various vocal sound effects.
His later sides, for Columbia and Victor, in "The Ukulele Ace" Encore 1, 2, 3 and 4 show a more crooning style of singing typifies the sound of The Roaring 1920’s.
He is the freshest and most creative in the Edison sessions.