Bob Marley: the Jamaican Legend

By the age of 14, as the world was careening into the 60s, Marley met his future Wailers, Neville "Bunny" Livingston and Peter McIntosh. In 1963, the trio were joined by three new members (all of which left the band by 1966) forming the Teenagers which, after several name changes landed on the Wailers.

In 1966, Marley married Rita Anderson and moved near his mother in the United States. By that time, Marley was already rooting himself with the Rastafarian tradition. Exploring his musical expression and trying to break into the American charts during his time as a Wailer, in 1972 they landed a deal with CBS Records and a tour with soul singer, Johnny Nash. The deal went sour quickly, as the Wailers ran out of money in London. Luckily, Marley turned up at Island Records, which had recently lost it's reggae star, allowing the Wailers the opportunity they needed to really break out of the small time. They returned to Kingston, Jamaica with Island Records funds to record "Catch a Fire". With some remixing to create a more hypnotic effect, the album was released in April 1973. While it didn't quite 'catch fire', it was received positively by critics and listeners alike. Hoping for further success, the Wailers released "Burnin", and a cover of the title track by Eric Clapton in 1974 raised awareness of the Wailers' existence.

A subsequent tour backing Sly and the Family Stone did not last long as the Wailers were garnering more attention than the lead act. The Wailers broke up in 1974, causing controversy as they were just achieving success.

Bob Marley continued recording as Bob Marley & the Wailers. in '75, the eponymous song "No Woman, No Cry" was released off the "Natty Dread" album and was followed up by the album that finally broke into the US Charts, "Rastaman Vibration". Released in 1976, it spent 4 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. 1976 also saw politically motivated shooting of Bob Marley outside his home, 2 days before a "Smile Jamaica" concert. Sustaining only mild injuries, Marley still performed.

He then took 2 years off, staying in London and recorded the famous "Exodus" album, which stayed on the UK charts for 56 consecutive weeks. Returning to Jamaica in 1978 for a political concert, he was able to bring the warring candidates onstage to shake hands. Marley went on to release additional albums.

Bob Marley's Death / How did Bob Marley Die?
By the time he died on May 11th, 1981, his courageous musical expression and political efforts had garnered him a loyal fan base that respected and loved him.

Marley was a vegetarian and was father to 11 children. In 1977, Marley found out that he had a malignant form of cancer and died in Miami at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital. The Jamaican prime minister eulogized him saying, "His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation."

Musically, Marley is best known for his hits: "I Shot the Sheriff", "No Woman, No Cry", "Could You Be Loved", "Stir It Up", "Jamming", "Redemption Song", "One Love".

In 1994, Marley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In '99, Time magazine chose "Exodus" as the greatest album of the 20th century. in 2001, he was awarded a lifetime achievement Grammy and a statue was erected in Kingston to honor him. in 2006, New York renameda portion of Church Avenue to "Bob Marley Boulevard".