Bob Marley Biography
Bob Marley biography - story of the greatest reggae artist that ever lived!
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Everything from his birth to his death in as short a article as I can so that you can get a quick picture in your head about how he went from "nothing" to fame.
His life was short but intriguing...and all I can say is that this man was truly special.
Very rarely do you see somebody come on the scene and do what he did...
Bhoy! when you good, you just good...nobody can take that from you.
When you read this, you probably will see what I see...the man just came on the scene did what he had to do and left...but his name lives on from generation to generation.
Alright, enough talk, let's go...
February 6, 1945 he is born to a white father and a black mother and his named, Robert Nesta Marley.
As a youth growing up, he suffers racial prejudice, because of his color, and faces questions about his identity.
1959: He launched his music career at 14 years old.
Him, Bunny Wailer, and Peter Tosh, all musicians in their own right, met Joe Higgs, a local singer and Rastafarian and started working together.
In 1962: They recorded their first two singles, Judge Not and One Cup of Coffee with local produceer Leslie Kong...but these recordings got very little attention.
1963: The group joined up with Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith and formed a ska and rocksteady group called The Teenagers.
Later they changed their name to The Wailing Rudeboy, then to The Wailing Wailers.
This was when Coxsone Dodd discovered them, and they finally called themselves The Wailers.
1966: Braithwaite, Kelso, and Smith left The group...Bob, Bunny, and Peter became the core group.
Bob marries Rita Anderson, moved to the US for a while, then returned to Jamaica, join the rastafarian movement, and grew his dreadlocks.
Bob Marley biography takes a different turn when...
He had a disagreement with Dod which ended their relationship. He then teamed up with Lee "Scratch" Perry and his studio band,The Upsetters...an alliance which produced some of Bob's best "lyrics."
1968 - 1972: Bob, Rita Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer re-cut some old tracks with JAD Records in Kingston and London in an attempt to commercialize The Wailers' sound.
Later, he and Rita visited the Bronx to see Johnny Nash's songwriter Jimmy Norman.
A three day jam session with Norman and others resulted in a 24-minute tape of Marley performing several of his own and Norman-Pyfrom's compositions.
1973: Wailers' first album, Catch a Fire, is released worldwide, and sold well.
1974: The Burnin album is released with songs like "Get Up, Stand Up" and "I Shot The Sheriff". Eric Clapton made a hit cover of "I Shot the Sheriff" and raised Marley's international profile.
The wailers broke up as each of the three main members went separate their ways to pursue solo careers.
A series of new albums generated during this time would mark the next phase of Bob Marley biography as he continued recording as "Bob Marley and The Wailers" with new backing: Carlton Barret - drums, Aston "Family Man" Barrett - bass, Junior Marvin and Al Anderson - lead guitar,Tyrone Downie and Earl "Wya" Lindo - keyboards, and Alvin "Seeco" Patterson - percussion.
The "I Threes" - Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths,and Marley's wife, Rita, provided backing vocals.
1975: No woman, no cry from the Natty Dread album, became his first hit.
1976: Rastaman Vibration became his breakthrough album in the US and it spend four weeks on the billboard charts Top Ten.
Bob Marley is Shot and wounded by gunmen in Jamaica.
His injury did not deter him from performing at his his first political concert, the smile concert in Jamaica at the request of Prime Minister Michael Manley...to ease tension between PNP and JLP political parties.
He recorded Exodus, and Kaya albums. Exodus remained on British charts for 56 weeks with hits like "Exodus", "Waiting In Vain", "Jamming", "One Love", and a rendition of Curtis Mayfield's hit, "People Get Ready".
1977: He is diagnosed with cancer on right big toe and refused to have it amputated.
1978: He performed at his 2nd political concert in Jamaica, the One love Peace concert.
When it was done, prime minister Michael Manley and opposition leader Edward Seaga, shook hands on stage.
1979: He released the defiant and politically charged album, Survival including tracks like "Zimbabwe", "Africa Unite", "Wake Up and Live", and "Survival" reflecting his support for struggling Africans.
This same year, he appeared at the Amandla Festival in Boston in July and showed his strong opposition to South African apartheid.
1980: Another international flavor is added to our Bob Marley biography as he is invited to perform at the celebration of Zimbabwe's Independence Day.
This same year, he released his final studio album, Uprising one of the most religious of all with songs like "Redemption Song" and "Forever Loving Jah."
The cancer quickly spread to Marley's brain, lungs, liver, and stomach.
After playing two shows at Madison Square Garden during his fall Uprising Tour, he collapsed while jogging in NYC's Central Park. The remainder of the tour is canceled.
September 23, 1980: Marley played his final concert at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The live version of "Redemption Song" was recorded at this show.
At this point in our Bob Marley biography, he sought medical help from Munich specialist Josef Issels, who promoted a controversial type of cancer treatment, partly based on avoidance of certain foods and drinks.
It was too late! The cancer had spread all over his body.
1981: While flying home from Germany to Jamaica, he fell ill, and landed in Miami for immediate medical attention.
May 11 , In the final Phase of his life, our Bob Marley biography, he died at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, he was 36 years old. His final words to his son Ziggy were "Money can't buy life."
What Is Your Favorite Bob Marley Music?
Share it here! Why do you like it? What does it do for you? Does it bring back memories? How do it make you feel?
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
my favourite of his are: Africa unite and I shot the sheriff
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Bob Marley's songs are full of innocent purity and love for life and true worldly beauty. thank you.
My favorite Bob Marley Music "Waitin in Vain"
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One of Bob's greatest songs, can be listened to when thinking of someone you like and don't know how to approach them or if you are trying to get back ...
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