Johnny, you touched my life. I will never forget how you took time to endorse my career in music and I will always remember my conversations with you and June and the inspiration the both of you gave me in the 80s as your jewelry designer.

Thank you Johnny Cash. May your loved ones be comforted with the knowledge that you are now with The Lord.
James Marvell
Performer/jewelry designer

UPDATE: Marvell, releases “Johnny We Miss You,” a tribute to Johnny Cash on Burning Country Volume 2.

“When we have to say goodbye to family members on this earth, heaven awaits rejoicing and reuniting. Healing is what we need until then and Marvell’s song ‘Johnny We Miss You’ has touched my family.”
Thank you,
Joanne Cash Yates / youngest sister of Johnny Cash

“Johnny, We Miss You” a Johnny Cash Tribute, produced by Butch Ryan.

Remember to sign Marvell’s guestbook

James Marvell, original lead male vocalist of the 60’s group Mercy, is still shaking his head in amazement over something that happened more than three decades ago.
- In 1969 Mercy skyrocketed to # 2 in Billboard with their million selling Warner Brother’s mega-hit, “Love Can Make You Happy.” They shared the top 10 with Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and The Beatles. Mercy followed up with another Billboard chart hit titled “Forever.” [ http://www.jamesmarvell.com/group/mercy.html ]
 
It was the only time that those pop legends shared the top 10 simultaneously. Marvell still can't believe he was part of music history. Mercy’s many interviews and TV appearances included Dick Clark and The Mike Douglas Show.
Fresh from their big hit, James Marvell and another Mercy member, Buddy Good, were feeling uncomfortable with the trappings of stardom. Drugs were everywhere and promoters weren’t exactly paragons of virtue.
 
Soon Marvell heard the call of another voice-the voice of Jesus. He decided to take His direction, devoting his life’s work to Christ and arming himself in a war against drugs. “I felt the mission to go into Country Music and steer kids away from drug abuse.” The new duo Country Cavaleers [ http://burningcountry.com/countrymusic/james/marvell.html ] made up of Good and Marvell was an oddity because of the members’ long hair. “You’ve got to remember it was right after the movie Easy Rider,” explains Marvell.
But they got the chance to perform with such major stars as Faron Young, Freddy Fender, Barbara Mandrell, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn and many of the Grand Ole Opry legends. TV appearences included ABC’s Wilburn Brothers plus several of the early morning Ralph Emery TV shows at WSM. Future stars Don Williams and Dikie Lee produced their first record.
 
The MGM/CSA recording duo Country Cavaleers disbanded in 1976.
 
Marvell went solo in 1976 turning his attention back to Gospel Music and the original calling on his life which only got stronger in 1973 when he accepted Jesus as Savior through the ministry of Bob Harrington aka The Chaplin of Bourbon Street. In 1974 James met another powerful minister who inspired him greatly, evangelist Leroy Jenkins. He began making special singing appearances on the Leroy Jenkins Crusades all across America during the middle to late 70s and even took a musical program to a South Carolina prison in the 80s to perform for Jenkins and his other co-inmates. Another crucial turn for Marvell in the 70s is when he met Teresa Hannah, co-host of the popular gospel TV show, Nashville Gospel.
 
It was during one of those early Nashville Gospel tapings that James Marvell met Dr. Bobby Jones who in 1978 asked Marvell to perform his dramatic composition “Prophecy” on one of his early gospel shows at WSM. Yes, Bobby Jones saw way ahead, that the song “Prophecy” would stand the test of time! [ In 1986 Johnny Cash called Marvell ...”One Of The Finest Singers Around.” ]
 
* Marvell credits the early 90s and the small friendly town of Branson Missouri for the inspiration to follow Christian Country & Country Gospel Music. It was there in Branson that James joined Country Legend Willie Nelson who opened his theatre to sunday worship services and even allowed James to place an Anti-Marijuana exhibit in his Willie & Friends Museums in both Nashville and Branson. Every weekend the Johnny Minick family would bring their anointed musical sounds and preaching to Nelson’s Branson theatre. James Marvell became part of the artist line-up and also helped to promote the services into the largest weekly gospel programs in Branson’s history! The worship services became the talk of the town in the early 90s and today there are many such weekly gatherings throughout all of Branson, Missouri. [ Note: Marvell will soon have a link and display of the Branson Newspaper articles about these historical worship services. So come back again to view them. ]
 
The new millenium now finds James Marvell still at it with over a dozen christian hits and noted TV appearences on Gospel Country with Jimmy Snow, TBN, Nashville Gospel, Bobby Jones and The Pat Boone Show. “Prophecy”, “NewAgeWorld” and “America You Must” by Marvell have been airing as theme songs on the worldwide prophetic radio and TV program NEWSWATCH MAGAZINE, hosted by David J. Smith and reaching every city in the U.S.A. daily.
 
Contact Marvell at: (813) 935-8453 e-mail: jmarvell7@yahoo.com P.O. Box 151952 Tampa, Florida 33684-1952 Website: www.jamesmarvell.com