Bob Marley: Biography, Songs, Albums, Death, & Facts
Introduction
Name: Bob Marley (Robert Nesta Marley)
Birth: February 6, 1945, Nine Miles, St. Ann, Jamaica
Death: May 11, 1981, Miami, Florida, U.S.
Genres: Ska, Rock Steady, Reggae
Famous For: International reggae icon, blending rock influences
Early Life and Career
Parents: Norval Sinclair Marley (white overseer) and Cedella Malcolm (Black daughter of a local custos)
Raised in rural and urban environments, impacting his poetic worldview
Known for his shyness and palm reading as a child
Lived in Kingston after being taken by his father, later returned to Nine Miles
Resided in Trench Town, West Kingston, in his teens
Musical Beginnings
Apprenticed as a welder while exposed to ska music
Influenced by American R&B and local Jamaican mento
Recorded first song "Judge Not" in 1961
Formation of the Wailers
Formed group with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in Trench Town
The Wailers' song "Simmer Down" became a hit, changing Jamaican music's focus
Embraced Rastafari faith, which heavily influenced their music
Rise to Fame
Gained international recognition with "Catch a Fire," a rock-influenced reggae album
Eric Clapton's cover of "I Shot the Sheriff" boosted Marley's fame
Albums included: "Natty Dread," "Live!", "Rastaman Vibration", "Exodus", "Kaya", "Uprising"
Political Involvement
Survived an assassination attempt in 1976, believed to be politically motivated
Fled to London after an attempt on his life; recorded "Exodus"
Initiated One Love Peace Concert in 1978 to ease political tensions in Jamaica
Legacy
Jamaican government awarded him the Order of Merit in 1981
Posthumous releases like "Legend" became best-selling reggae albums
Influence on global music and culture, especially through the spread of reggae and Rastafari beliefs
Bob Marley's work transcended music, becoming a symbol of peace and social justice
Influence on Reggae and Beyond
Reggae: Jamaican music style that rose in the 1960s, became an international phenomenon by the 1970s
Marley's music and message spread globally, influencing pop culture
Cultural force against oppression and for the empowerment of the disenfranchised
Conclusion
Bob Marley remains a towering figure in music and culture, his legacy living on through his music and the continued relevance of his themes of unity and resistance.