Bob Marley

Lifespan:: February 6, 1945 - May 11, 1981, he died aged 36 and was Jamaican.
Birthname:: Robert Nesta Marley.
One Liner:: Rastafarian reggae artist, lead singer for 'The Wailers'
Snapshot:: An Artist with 258 releases, a member of 3 groups, and credited 17 times on others' music. 9 collaborations and 10 musical relatives.

Born in Nine Mile, Jamaica in 1945 Bob Marley would be come synonymous with reggae and Rastafarianism. Early photos of the young Bob Marley show a clean cut young man with short hair and a sharp suit. It was during this period with the Wailing Wailers he had his first record 'Simmer Down' in 1964. In 1966 Bob Marley adopted 'Rastafarianism' which would go on to have a profound influence on his life and his music.

The band's success grew with each album, though it was Eric Clapton's cover of 'I Shot The Sheriff' from Burnin' that drew the world's attention. In 1974 Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left the band and it was as Bob Marley and the Wailers he would release Rasta Revolution.

International success came with the single 'No Woman, No Cry' from the Natty Dread album and the follow up Rastaman Vibration went to the Top 10 in 'Billboard Charts'.

In Jamaica, in a background of political unrest, gunshots were fired at the house where he was staying, wounding him, his wife and his manager. This was two days before he was to play a concert organized by Prime Minister, Michael Manley in an attempt to calm things between rival political factions. Despite his wounds the band played at the concert.

Bob Marley moved to the UK where he already had a strong following and his next album Exodus spent over a year in the UK charts. In 1977, tragedy struck as he was diagnosed with cancer, although his religious beliefs would not allow him to have surgery and he carried on touring and recording.

Back in Jamaica for the 1978 'One Love, One Peace' concert he united, on stage at least, fierce political rivals Edward Seaga and Michael Manley - standing between the two, arms raised. He also took the band to play at the Zimbabwe's Independence Day celebrations in 1980.

He finally succumbed to cancer in 1981 and received a state funeral in Jamaica, bringing the island to a standstill. He was awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit and inducted into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame'.

Pictures

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Bob Marley

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Bob Marley File Photos

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Bob Marley Live At The Hammersmith Odeon

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Photo of Bob Marley

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Photo of Bob Marley

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Music

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Genres

Reggae, Contemporary R&B, Ska, Hip-Hop, Rocksteady. Vote on Genres

Uprising 2006

400 Years 2006

Natural Mystic 1995 (Play) Buy mp3

One Love

View full timeline

Bob Marley

Has worked with

Martha Velez
- on: Escape From Babylon - composer, performer, producer
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
- on: Live - composer, writer
Raggasonic
- on: Raggasonic - composer
Chalawa
- on: Exodus Dub - composer
Mathieu Boogaerts
- on: Super - composer

Finley Quaye
- on: Maverick a Strike - composer, writer
Funkstar DeLuxe
- on: Rainbow Country - co-released
- on: Sun Is Shining - co-released
Vanilla Ice
- on: Vanilla Ice Is Back! - Hip Hop Classics - writer
Lauryn Hill
- on: Turn Your Lights Down Low - co-released

Has been in these groups

Bob Marley and the Wailers

founder member
Bob Marley & The Wailers

founder member
- lead singer and guitar:
  - 1974-1981
The Wailers

founder member
- lead singer and guitar:
  - 1963-1974

Has this family

Cedella Marley-Booker
- parent
Rita Marley
- married
  - 1966-1981
Ziggy Marley
- child
Damian Marley
- child
Stephen Marley
- child
Ky-Mani Marley
- child
Julian Marley
- child
Cedella Marley
- child
Cindy Breakspeare
- involved with
Sharon Marley
- child

Bob Marley

Jan, 6 2009

“No Woman, No Cry”, the classic track by Bob Marley and the Wailers, is one of reggae’s most well-known songs and has been covered by artists as disparate as husband/wife team Faith Hill and Tim McGraw to punksters Hed PE. The authorship of the track was credited to Vincent Ford, a friend of Marley’s who died aged 68 on 28th December 2008 due to complications from diabetes. Ford ran a soup kitchen in Trenchtown, a Jamaican ghetto where Marley grew up, and it was believed by many that it was actually Marley who wrote the song and credited it to Ford. The consequent royalties received by Ford as a result of Marley’s philanthropy on this and three other songs from the Rastaman Vibration album ensured the survival of the soup kitchen; a legacy which survived long after Marley’s death from cancer in 1981.