Bob Marley Biography

Robert Nesta MarleyBIRTH: February 6, 1945, St. Ann, JamaicaDIED: May 11, 1981, Miami, FL
In 1944, Captain Norval Marley married a young Jamaican named Cedalla Booker. On February 6, 1945 at half past two to his son, Robert Nesta Marley was born in the house of his grandfather. Soon after Bob was born his father left his mother. He did however give financial support and occasionally returned to see his son.
It was already late fifties, jobs were scarce in Jamaica, so Bob followed his mother from her home in Santa Ana to Trenchtown (West Kingston) to seek employment in the city. Trenchtown got it's name because it was built over a ditch that drains the waste water of the old Kingston. In Trenchtown Bob spent much of his time with his friend Neville Livingstone who people called by his nickname, Bunny. Also in the big city Bob was more exposed to the music he had loved, including greats like Fats Domino and Ray Charles. Bob and Bunny attended a music class together which was conducted by the famous Jamaican singer Joe Higgs. In that class they met Peter Macintosh and soon became good friends.
Meanwhile in Jamaican music evolving and became very popular throughout the Caribbean due to his invention of Ska music. When Bob was 16, he began to pursue his dream of becoming a musician. Music to many young Jamaicans was an escape from the harshness of everyday life. One was Jimmy Cliff who at the age of 14 years had already recorded a couple of hits. After meeting Bob, Jimmy introduced him to Leslie Kong, a local record producer. Bob followed his advice and a test for Leslie Kong. Bob's musical talents shone much brighter then anyone that day and found himself in the recording studio "Judge Not," his first single. Unfortunately neither "Judge Not" nor his 1962 single "One more cup of coffee", he did very well. Bob soon left Kong after she will not pay.
The following year Bob, Bunny and other friends formed the Wailing Wailers. Failure to have a great start, after just a couple recording sessions two members, Cherry and Junior Braithwaite left the band. The band continued and were introduced to Clemet Dodd, a producer of the record company Coxsone. It was here where the Wailing Wailers recorded the first song "Simmer Down", which was very well in Jamaica. To help with the recording of their songs in the studio provides several talented Ska musicians. The Wailing Wailers consisting now of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny begins to be very popular locally. His audience grew rapidly and recorded several songs on the Coxsone label which included "It hurts to be alone" and "Rule the Roadie" Bob soon took the leader's role, the main composer and all.
Bob's life continued to look brighter on February 10, 1966 when Bob Marley married girlfriend Rita Anderson. The next day Bob went to America to visit his mother who lived in Delaware. While in the U.S. worked to better finance his music and soon returned home. When he returned the music of Bob Marley The Wailing Wailers' evolved from ska to Rock Steady. This evolution conflicted with Coxsone who wanted a Ska band. So the newly Wailing Wailers left Coxsone to form and name themselves the Wailers. Instead of looking around for a new label the Wailers decided to form his own soul, which they called Wail 'N'. This coincided with the birth of first child Marley Cedalla callers. He released a pair of signals on the label as "Bend Down Low" and "Mellow Mood" before it folded the same year.
The end of their label affected the band greatly, it was not until he met Lee Perry returned to the track. With the help of Lee Perry the Wailers produced such great songs as "Duppy Conqueror," "Soul Rebel", "400 Years" and "Small Axe".
1970 saw the Wailers family grow with the addition of Aston "Family Man" Barrett and his brother Carleton. The Wailers were now quite popular throughout the Caribbean but still internationally unknown. With this popularity a second label's most successful was formed by the Wailers called Tuff Gong after a nickname of Bob Marley. The Wailers met Johnny Nash and soon Bob accompanied Nash to Sweden and London. When in London, Bob recorded "Reggae on Broadway" which was released by CBS. After this the rest of the Wailers came to London to help promote the single only to find that there was no money and stranded. With little options available, Bob went into the Island Records Basing Street Studios and asked to speak with the boss, Chris Blackwell with hopes of a possible recording contract.
Mr. Blackwell had heard of the Wailers and signed on the spot. Advanced them eight thousand pounds so they can fly back home and record their first album for Island. This was a massive deal for the first time a reggae band that have access to the best facilities for recording. The album was released "Catch a Fire", which was very well received by critics and was one of reggae albums first. Before the Wailers reggae was sold on signals or compilation albums.
In the spring of 1973 the Wailers arrived back in London to begin his three-month tour of Britain. After the tour they returned to Jamaica where Bunny decided to stop touring. He was replaced by Joe Higgs. The Wailers along with Higgs boson traveled to the U.S., where they were scheduled to open 17 shows the number one black law in the United States, Sly and the Family Stone. The Wailers were fired after 4 shows because they were more popular than the band opened, people often chanted "Wail-ers" well into the Sly and the Family Stone set. They also opened a couple dates for Bruce Springsteen. After Sly and the Family Stone canceled the Wailers were again without money and stranded, this time in Las Vegas. Somehow found its way to San Fransico. While there was a live concert broadcast for the radio station KSAN-FM. All the experience increased his popularity in North America.
With 1973 ending the Wailers released the much anticipated second album "Catch a Fire" called "Burnin". On this album features many classic Wailer, like "I Shot the Sheriff" and "Get Up Stand Up". The Wailers popularity in North America grew even more when Eric Clapton re-recorded "I Shot the Sheriff", becoming a number one hit in the U.S. singles charts.
1975 saw the album's release of the Wailers in the third, "Natty Dread" with such great songs like "Talking Blues", "No Woman No Cry" and "Revolution." On the negative side, although two thirds of the original Wailing Wailers, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left the band to pursue a solo career. This caused the band to change their name again. This time Bob Marley and the Wailers. The output of the two members created a hole in the Voices section, this hole was filled and then some by the I-Threes (Rita Marley, Judy and Marcia Grittiths Mowatts). That summer the band started a new European tour. Two of those shows were in the Hall High School, both programs were considered among the best of the decade.
Both shows were recorded and made the album "Live!" which included the unforgettable live version "No Woman No Cry" which was a worldwide success. The band underwent more changes with the addition of Al Anderson and Bernard Harvey who were later replaced by Junior Marvin and Tyrone Downie. The last time the original Wailers played together was at a Stevie Wonder concert at the Institute of Jamaica for the blind. Bob Marley and the Wailers continued their roll releasing the album incredible "Rasta man Vibration" in 1976. This culminated in a type of Reggae-Mania happening in the states. Rolling Stone named them band of the year. The Rasta man Vibration album was eloquent, "War" which lyrics came from a speech given by Emperor Haile Selassie. Bob Marley decided to give a free concert at the National Heroes Park in Kingston on December 5, 1976.
The idea behind the concert was a message of peace from Trenchtown ghetto wars happening now. Tragedy struck two days before going on stage, gunmen broke into Marley's house and shot Bob, Rita, and two friends. Luckily no one was killed. Despite this Bob Marley went on to mount a memorable show two days later at the Smile Jamaica concert. After the concert the band left for the United Kingdom. While there was recorded in 1977 "Exodus". Possibly their best album to date, consolidated the international reputation of the band. It was number one in many countries, including England and Germany. He was also one of the hottest albums of the year.
During his European tour, the band did a week of shows at the Rainbow Theatre in London. It was at the start of the tour when Bob injured his toe playing football. He was diagnosed as cancerous later. Also during this tour Bob received a very important ring, which is the previous owner was Emperor of Ethiopia. In May Bob was informed of his cancer. His cancer would most certainly be treated by amputation of the feet, but Bob refused. To do so would be contrary to the Rastafarian faith. With this news the rest of the tour was canceled Exodus. His illness did not stop recording music through 1978 saw the release of "Kaya" which had a much smoother sound then previous albums. Bob was accused of selling because many of the songs were love songs or tributes to ganja (marijuana). Rastafarians believe that smoking the sacred herb that close to Jah (God).
In April 1978, Bob returned to Jamaica to play the One Love Peace Concert. Among those present was the president of Jamaica Michael Manley and opposition leader Edward Seaga. It was Bob who got them into the stage and even got to shake his hand. On June 15 he was awarded the Peace Medal of the Third World United Nations. For the first time he visited Africa going to Kenya and Ethiopia. On this trip he began working on the song "Zimbabwe". The band also released their second live album "Babylon by Bus" with was recorded in Paris. The album that followed it was Survival in 1978. Throughout the album the theme of black survival was evident.
The seventies were drawing to a close, Bob Marley and the Wailers were the most popular band on the road many record-breaking festival. In 1980 the band found themselves in Gabon to perform in Africa for the first time. Here Bob Marley discovered that he had defrauded the band director, Bob gave him a beating and fired him. Zimbabwe's government invited the whole band to play at the independence ceremony countries in April. Bob later said of the invitation to be the greatest honor of his life.
After the great honor and experience Bob Marley continue to record, "Uprising" was released in 1980. Everything was looking bright, the band was planning an American tour with Stevie Wonder for the winter. Bob health was deteriorating, but still needs approval from a doctor to go out. The tour started with Boston, followed by New York. During the show in New York Bob looked very sick and almost fainted. The next morning on Sept. 21 while jogging through Central, Bob collapsed and was taken to hospital. There is a brain tumor was discovered and doctors gave him a month. Rita Marley wanted to cancel the tour, but Bob wanted to go ahead. He played an unforgettable show in Pittsburgh but was too ill to continue so the tour was canceled altogether.
It would be the last concert ever performed. Treatment prolonged his life a bit, but soon the inevitable to happen. Bob was taken to a hospital in Miami, where he was baptized Berhane Selassie in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on November 4. In a last attempt to save his life, he underwent a controversial treatment in Germany. While in Germany, celebrated his 36th birthday and end. Ultimately the treatment did not work. Bob wanted to die at home, so it was moved back. Unfortunately, the trip ended, died on May 11, 1981 at a hospital in Miami. He was mourned by thousands internationally and presented at the May 21 funeral to show their respects. Jamaica wereboth attended by President and Leader of the Opposition. Bob Marley now rests in a mausoleum at his birthplace.
After his death he was awarded Jamaica's Order of Merit. The Prophet Gad insisted on becoming the owner of the ring Bob. However, surprisingly the missing ring and still has not been found. Bob's mother, said the ring was returned to its place of origin.
Bob Marley knew of his fate. Being a visionary who foresaw this, words will always be immortalized in the letters he wrote.