How James Marino Is Building an Independent Career Alongside Some of Music’s Biggest Names

For touring and session guitarist James Marino, joining Hilary Duff on her current Lucky Me Tour represents another major step in a career that has been built independently, gradually, and through the kind of persistence that rarely makes it into the polished version of an artist’s success story.

The 29-year-old Los Angeles-based musician has steadily become a familiar presence behind some of contemporary music’s biggest names, performing with Good Charlotte, Alex Warren, Ashton Irwin, Dixie D’Amelio, and Sueco while contributing to records from Julia Wolf, Loote, Anson Seabra, Will Linley, charlieonnafriday, Cheat Codes, and more.

Long before touring with Hilary Duff, however, James Marino was a six-year-old on Long Island, becoming completely consumed by his first guitar, rushing home from school to practice and searching online for videos of the musicians he admired, even while having little idea how playing could eventually become a sustainable profession.

That uncertainty followed him through Nassau Community College, shifts at Chipotle, Berklee, a move to Nashville, the pandemic, and a period spent working at a juice bar while living paycheck to paycheck, before he eventually landed in Los Angeles and managed a tattoo shop while continuing to chase opportunities in music.

His first LA gig with Sueco became a defining turning point, and only one day later, James Marino flew to Philadelphia to perform his first arena show with Dixie D’Amelio during the Jingle Ball tour, giving him an early glimpse of what years of preparation could become when the right opportunity finally arrived.

His trajectory is also a strong case for why independent career-building continues to matter, particularly at a time when musicians have more ways to create their own networks, develop reputations, and establish careers without following one traditional industry blueprint.

“You don’t have to try to specialize in the flavor of the month,” Marino says. “Be true to your own vision and the right people will find you.”

Now, with Hilary Duff’s Lucky Me Tour marking his latest chapter, he still considers himself near the beginning, approaching each new stage less like a final destination and more like another opportunity to keep building a career entirely on his own terms.

Your resume now includes Hilary Duff, Good Charlotte, Alex Warren, Ashton Irwin, Dixie D’Amelio, and Sueco, but there was a time when you were working at Chipotle, a juice bar, and a tattoo shop while trying to make music happen. When you look at that contrast now, what part of the journey are you most proud of?

At 17, living on Long Island, I thought I had my future figured out. Newly sober off of a benzo addiction, I would work my way up the corporate ladder at Chipotle, and they would pay for my college in return and provide benefits. 401k even! It made so much sense on paper.  Deciding to leave my job and attend a music conservatory instead seemed more like a delusion than anything.  I was ridiculed by my friends at the time, and to be honest, I didn’t believe it would lead to much either. But I knew I’d be more fulfilled trying and failing than never trying at all. Looking back at 29-year-old me, I’m super proud of that kid. 

You’ve worked across touring, sessions, recording, and live performance with artists operating in very different worlds. What do you think has made you someone artists and their teams continue trusting and bringing into new opportunities?

I hear it a lot. Something like, “You’re not at all what I expected you to be like. With all of the tattoos, I expected you to be a huge asshole or something, but you’re actually really sweet!” I think that statement alone keeps me employed: the image of an edgy guy with none of the drama. I try my best to be kind, obsessively overprepared, low maintenance, and there for people. Also, I think people can tell how much fun I have on stage, and I think people, including myself, want to be around positivity.

You’ve built a career through relationships, reputation, and consistently being ready for the next opportunity rather than following one traditional industry path. What has independence given you that you might not have had if you waited for someone else to map out your career?

I believe it takes a village to make a success, so I mostly attribute my successes to the music directors, artists, managers, and producers who decided to include me in their projects. I feel that the independence to make the best of the opportunities I was given has created an equally exciting and stressful life of never knowing what’s around the corner.  I’ve received my biggest opportunities when I least expected, and it was on me to be ready for that.

You’ve said musicians don’t need to specialize in the “flavor of the month.” In an industry increasingly driven by algorithms, trends, and virality, how do you protect your identity as a musician while still making yourself valuable to such a wide range of artists?

Well, as a touring guitarist and studio musician, you do need to specialize in the flavor of the month. In fact, you kind of need to specialize in every flavor there is. My role is to help other people achieve their vision, whether it’s making a song or performing a show. With that said, I think there’s a Rock “DNA” or punch that comes through in my playing regardless of genre. I still listen to other guitarists and feel like I have to play like them to get work or validation, but in my experience, it’s helped to be true to myself and not be a carbon copy.

You’ve spent so much of your career helping bring other artists’ music to life, whether that’s on stage or in the studio. As your own career continues to grow, what do you want people to understand about James Marino beyond the names you’ve played alongside?

My greatest joy in life is being on stage. Playing a show transcends the everyday problems, big or small. I get the privilege of witnessing firsthand how music heals people and transforms lives, even in a mosh pit. Every night I get to perform, there’s a massive transference of energy from the crowd to the stage and back and forth. What I hope people understand is that, for me, that’s what I truly love about being a musician.