Marshall was born in 1940 on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Growing up, Marshall was surrounded by horses and cattle as there were few automobiles on Sapelo Island. The horse and buggy were used daily for errands such as gathering wood and getting to church on Sundays. Cowboys have been in Marshall’s family for countless generations and he is proud to continue the heritage. He moved to New York in the late 1950s in the hopes of finding some work and he went on to become Assistant Chief Maintenance Officer for the NYC Transport Authority. Marshall earned his name because of his ability to maintain control. He now spends his time with his grandchildren and is always busy running the Federation of Black Cowboys as the President of the organization. His uncle, Ronester Johnson, who was a trail boss for R.J. Reynolds, has been the biggest influence in his life along with his father who always loved horses.