When the word “reggae” is used, many people immediately think of Bob Marley. This legendary vocalist began his career as a member of the band ‘The Wailers,’ and is noted for his moving performances. Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, and Junior Braithwaite, among others, formed ‘The Wailers,’ a group that produced some of the best recordings of their period. They’re still known for songs like ‘Simmer Down,’ ‘Rude Boy,’ and cult albums like ‘Catch a Fire,’ and ‘Soul Revolution,’ as well as cult albums like ‘Catch a Fire,’ and ‘Soul Revolution.’ Bob Marley sought new artists to collaborate with as the band members went their separate ways, and he continued to release albums under the name ‘Bob Marley and The Wailers.’ ‘Live!’ was his debut album under this persona, and he went on to release albums such as ‘Rastaman Vibration,’ ‘Kaya,’ ‘Exodus,’ and ‘Babylon by Bus.’ His album, ‘Rastaman Vibration,’ broke records and cemented his image as a peace-loving humanitarian. This artist was noted for his unwavering support for the ‘Rastafari Movement,’ which was evident in the music he made. Following his death from malignant melanoma, this illustrious figure was honored with a number of important awards, including the ‘Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.’ Continue reading to learn more about his life and work.
Childhood and Adolescence
Norval Sinclair Marley and Cedella Booker gave birth to Robert Nesta Marley on February 6, 1945, in Nine Mile, British Jamaica. Norval was a plantation overseer at the time of Bob Marley’s birth, and Cedella was a singer-songwriter.
Bob Marley had his education at the ‘Stepney Primary and Junior High School,’ which is located in Jamaica’s Saint Ann Parish. When Bob was only ten years old, his father died of heart failure.
Neville Livingston (later known as Bunny Wailer) was a school classmate whose father Thadeus had a daughter named Pearl with Bob’s mother Cedella. With their pals Beverley Kelso, Junior Braithwaite, and Peter Tosh, the two boys began working on music and eventually established a band.
Career of Bob Marley
With the support of recording artist Leslie Kong, Marley initially issued his singles ‘Do You Still Love Me?,’ ‘Judge Not,’ ‘Terror,’ and ‘One Cup of Coffee’ in 1962.
The music group changed their name numerous times the next year before settling on ‘The Wailers.’ ‘The Teenagers,’ ‘The Wailing Rudeboys,’ and finally ‘The Wailing Wailers,’ were the band’s first names. The band was only noticed by Coxsone Dodd, the proprietor of a record label, when it was given the moniker ‘The Wailers.’
Under Coxsone’s label, ‘The Wailers’ released their debut single, ‘Simmer Down,’ in 1963. The reggae band issued their first album, ‘The Wailing Wailers,’ in 1965, which included the hit tune ‘Rude Boy.’
Junior Braithwaite and Beverley Kelso, the band’s primary singers, left in 1966 to pursue solo careers.
With the support of recording artist Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, ‘The Wailers’ produced their first international album, ‘Soul Rebels,’ in 1970. The album was created in the United Kingdom by ‘Trojan Records,’ and it was a huge hit. It was later re-released by a number of other record labels.
The Wailers released two albums in 1971: ‘Soul Revolution’ and ‘The Best of the Wailers.’ The latter, ironically, comprised new music and was not a compilation of previous tunes.
The next year, Marley obtained a deal with CBS Records in London and embarked on a UK tour with American performer Johnny Nash. At the same time, they were acquainted with Chris Blackwell, the owner of ‘Island Records.’
In 1972, Blackwell offered that ‘The Wailers’ release a new album, for which he paid £4,000 in advance. He also signed Marley to his record label as a replacement for Jimmy Cliff, a well-known reggae performer.
The Wailers’ next album, ‘Catch a Fire,’ was released in 1973 on the Island Records label. It was only modestly successful, selling 14,000 copies. The album ‘Burnin’ was released the same year, and it featured the smash song ‘I Shot the Sheriff.’
Bob’s band was supposed to begin off 17 gigs in the United States in 1974 before other bands took over. However, their popularity had increased to the point where they had to quit performing after the first four shows.
‘The Wailers’ disbanded the same year, but Bob Marley and The Wailers continued to release solo albums and singles under the moniker ‘Bob Marley and The Wailers.’ In 1974, the famed vocalist launched his solo album ‘Natty Dread,’ which included hit singles like ‘No Cry’ and ‘No Woman.’
Bob recorded the album “Live!” in 1975 with his new band, which included Tyrone Downie, Al Anderson, Junior Marvin, and brothers Aston and Carlton Barrett. He also produced the album ‘Rastaman Vibration,’ which featured the hit track ‘War,’ the following year.
Marley released albums including ‘Exodus,’ ‘Kaya,’ and ‘Babylon by Bus’ in 1977-78. He also performed at the ‘One Love Peace Concert’ in Jamaica around the same period.
In the following two years, Marley published the commercially successful album ‘Survival,’ which had songs like
‘Africa Unite,’ ‘Zimbabwe,’ and ‘Wake Up and Live,’ among others. He also published the album “Uprising,” which had hit hits like as “Redemption Song” and “Forever Loving Jah.”
During the same time period, he performed at the ‘Amandla Festival’ in Boston and the ‘Stanley Theater’ in Pennsylvania.
Major Projects of Bob Marley
Bob Marley is best known for his 1976 album “Rastaman Vibration,” which charted in the United States and broke multiple records. Due to its forceful condemnation of apartheid in South Africa, the tune ‘War’ from the same album became historically famous. The song was one of the top 50 songs on the Billboard Soul Charts.
Achievements & Awards
This well-known Jamaican reggae artist received the ‘United Nations’ award titled ‘Peace Medal of the Third World’ in 1978. The Jamaican government awarded him the ‘Jamaican Order of Merit’ in 1981. In the 2000s, he was honored posthumously with various awards, including the ‘Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.’ He’s also a member of the ‘Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’ and the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame.’ The record ‘Catch a Fire,’ by his band, has also been inducted into the ‘Grammy Hall of Fame.’
Personal History and Legacy
Bob Marley moved from Catholicism to the ‘Rastafari’ religious movement in 1966, infusing the religion’s rituals and culture into his reggae music. He also used marijuana and continued to do so despite having been arrested for it once.
On February 10, 1966, in Kingston, Marley married Alpharita Constantia Anderson, better known as Rita. Cedella, Ziggy, and Stephen were the couple’s three children.
Despite the fact that he was only married to Rita, the singer had children from prior relationships. He also adopted Rita’s children from previous relationships.
Marley, his wife, and manager Don Taylor were assaulted by gunmen in his house in 1976, while performing at a free performance called ‘Smile Jamaica,’ which was planned by Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley to defuse political tensions. His manager and wife both suffered serious injuries, while Marley only received minor wounds.
Marley was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, an incurable form of skin cancer, in 1977. The condition spread over four years, and his health deteriorated.
On May 11, 1981, at Miami’s ‘Cedars of Lebanon Hospital,’ the beloved singer died of his illness. Marley’s mortal remains were interred at a chapel in his hometown of Nine Mile, Jamaica, at a funeral service presided over by Prime Minister Edward Seaga.
In 1983, a posthumous album titled ‘Confrontation’ was released, which included the hit ‘Buffalo Soldier.’ Statues of this outstanding vocalist have been constructed in Kingston, Jamaica, and in the Serbian village of Banatski Sokolac.
Many festivals are organized across India to honor this amazing singer’s achievements. Kevin Macdonald directed the film ‘Marley,’ which was released in 2012.
Bob Marley Net Worth
Bob Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, and musician who made his fortune in the music industry. He is regarded as a reggae pioneer and a symbol of the Rastafari movement. Marley’s albums have sold over 75 million copies worldwide, making him one of the most successful musicians of all time. In 1981, he died of acral lentiginous melanoma. Bob’s estate was valued at $11.5 million at the time of his death in 1981. In today’s inflation-adjusted currency, that equates to $32 million.
Trivia
In 1974, Eric Clapton re-recorded the song ‘I Shot the Sheriff,’ making it the next success after the single ‘Layla.’