Too Smooth
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But let’s do some creative writing and spell it like this: 2Smooth
Yes, it is…it is Kerry 2Smooth Marshall.
Kerry is a super-awesome guy and musician who has played with a plethora of big name Artists—and they all loved playing with him too—well who wouldn’t?!
He got his unique “nom de plume” when he was about 14 or 15 from his bandmates. When he played his awesome riffs and chords he never moved—just played great. And they use to say, “that is just too smooth.” And the name stuck.
He started playing guitar when he was 11 years old but it became serious (and fun) business by the time he was in high school.
He did a tour of duty in the U.S. military—thank you very much Kerry—where he was a forward observer in Iraq.
Out of the military he pursued music seriously and he was so gifted that things immediately began to take off for him.
He first played on the Chitlin Circuit, touring all around the southern United States. Then he got the opportunity to play for the BET Experience. When they first heard him play during a sound check he completely blew their minds. They immediately told him that, with your chops, if you move to L.A ., you will never stop working.
He did it…he took their advice, took the leap and moved to Los Angeles in 2013.
He began to play around the local L.A. circuit and people did notice.
Check this out…he has played with:
• Tyrese
• Chrisette Michele
• Ledisi
• Jason Derulo
• Tory Kelly
• Ty $
• 2 Chainz
• Kiana Ledé
And I am sure we have missed some, our apologies, but you certainly get the idea here.
We sat down with Kerry and asked him to tell us all he knows about everything…or…at least some of what he knows about why he plays an Anderson Guitar—a new Raven, to be exact.
Kerry: I have always loved Anderson Guitars. While I was playing out I got a Mongrel—it was everything that I wanted, very unique and the overall craftsmanship was just excellent. I loved playing that guitar.
Editor’s note: Check out last week’s Guitar Tales for more on the Mongrel and its unique persona.
TAGW: So when it came time to get a new guitar why did you choose a Raven?
Kerry: Again, I wanted a guitar of excellent build quality. And I love the unique look of the Offset body style—it’s not like everyone else’s guitar. But it plays fantastic—like all Andersons. It allows me to play the way I want to play. It never holds me back.
Kerry: And it stays in tune—so nice. The tremolo works excellently well. This Raven is a match made in heaven for me. It really seems as if it never goes out of tune and the sounds are just so good. Everyone that hears this guitar complements my tone. When I am playing this Raven, it makes me feel as though I can put my skills up to everyone and have nothing lacking, not in an egotistical way, it just makes me feel good. This guitar plays everything right.
Kerry: Plus playing an Anderson is kind of like being in some kind of exclusive guitar club. People will say, “what guitar is that?” I point to the “A.” That says it all. Ha ha.
TAGW: What are you plugging your Raven through to get your preferred tones?
Kerry: I mainly use a Badcat Lynx. But for live dates where I need to be as light as possible I use a Quilter Mini Reverb, but for touring or doing a spot date I am using the Badcat.
TAGW: And for effects?
Kerry: It’s the Line 6 Helix Guitar Multi-effects Floor Processor.
TAGW: What are your secrets of great tone?
Kerry: Ha, it’s the right blend of reverb and finesse. Also, you always want to set the EQ to the room you’re playing. So, you can get the same good sound in each room. I’ll listen and do minor tweaks to my base settings to get it just right for each environment.
TAGW: Where did you learn your extensive chord vocabulary?
Kerry: I learned a lot of my chord voicings from keyboard players.
TAGW: So would you just try to do the same inversions they were playing?
Kerry: Pretty much, yes. And the Anderson makes all those complex chords sound sweeter and richer because the guitar is so in tune and vibrates so sympathetically. It is never dissonant but always gorgeous sounding.
TAGW: How and why did you select Bullitt Green as the color for your Raven? We noticed you even dressed in the same shades in one of your videos. That really is too smooth, Mr. 2Smooth. Ha.
Kerry: Ha yeah, I did that on purpose. Too fun. The Bullitt Green is a color that just spoke to me. It reminds me of a BMW I had when I was 23, pretty much the same color.
TAGW: And you chose an all maple neck to pair with your Alder body—and a matching headstock.
Kerry: I love Maple necks. I love the way they sculpt the highs and lows and the attack.
Kerry: I also really like the style of tremolo for this guitar and how it works. The tremolo bar has this beautiful sustainability that sounds incredible and stays in tune. Great to play.
TAGW: Your pickup combination of choice was a P-90 style/sound in the neck combined with a full humbucker in the bridge position. What does this give to your playing?
Kerry: I am a huge fan of P-90 sounds. The PH pickup in the neck gives me excellent P-90 tone and with the Cut Switch I can drop it down to S-type pickup tone when needed. Really great. And the full humbucker in the bridge can melt the paint off the walls.
TAGW: And finally, which Winnie the Pooh character would you be, if you had to be one?
Kerry: Tigger because he has so much energy.
And what is Kerry doing now?
Well he’ll still be touring but he is also teaching, online. His website is Kerry’s Camp: kerryscamp.com
He has over 800 students. He specializes in R&B, Neo Soul and Gospel. Kerry’s is the largest site for those specific genres. And they have guest guitarists and instructors, as well. They just had James Valentine from Maroon 5 last Saturday. How fun is that?
TAGW: Thanks for being an Anderson Player.
Kerry: Thanks for having me.
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