Bob Marley is a famous composer, guitarist and vocalist. Its success brought popularity to the rare reggae style all over the world.
Childhood and youth
When Norval turned 60, he met Robert’s mother, Sidella Booker, a local girl of sixteen. Robert met his father only twice. Norval Marley died in 1955. At that time, Robert was 10 years old. Robert’s mother was Catholic and raised him as a Catholic.
In the late 1950s, Robert Marley and his mother decided to move to Kingston. But they were able to settle in a disadvantaged area called Trenchtown. Here Marley met Neville Livingston, with whom he decided to make music.
After Robert finished school, he had to get a job. He became a welder, but continued his music studies. Joe Higgs, a famous musician at the time, gave free vocal lessons to Marley and Livingston. Robert later met Peter McIntosh (Peter Tosh).
The beginning of a creative career
In 1961, Robert Marley performed for the first time with the single “Jidge Not”. Joe Higgs assisted in the creation of the single. In 1962, Marley, Peter and Livingston sang for Leslie Kong (reggae producer). Kong decided to record some songs with them.
A year later, Bob created his first musical group. Its part was: Neville Livingston (Bunny), Peter Tosh, Cherry Green, Junior Braithwaite, Beverly Kelso. The team was called “The Teenagers” (Teens), but the name was not to their taste, and it was changed several more times. The final decision was the name “The Wailers” (Weepers).
In 1964, the group released their first song “Summer Down”, which topped the Jamaican charts. But in 1965, three members of the team left the group. They were Green, Braithwaite, Kelso. The group’s singles hit the top 10 on the charts. High ratings did not save, Bob’s group broke up in 1966.
Earlier, Bob’s mother moved and began to live in the United States. Without her influence, the son became interested in Rastafarianism. After losing the group, Bob moved in with his mother. He became an ordinary car factory worker. The musician could not live with his mother for a long time and returned to Jamaica. There he adopted Rastafarianism, began to walk with dreadlocks. In Jamaica, the musician recreated his band. The group used different directions – calypso, ska, fusion. But despite all the efforts, the singles did not bring world fame.
In 1971, Marley, Livingston and Peter Tosh set up a recording studio called Tuff Gong. The creation of the studio did not bring any result. But in the same year, Robert signed an agreement with the American performer Johnny Nash. For him, the songs “Stir it Up”, “Guava Jelly” were created, which became popular.
In 1972, luck smiled at The Wailers. The group entered into an agreement with an international organization, released a new album “Catch a Fire”, which was the first to be released outside the island. Thanks to the album, the group’s fame increased.
In 1973, Bob’s band visited the USA with their concerts. And then Neville and Peter left the team, as they decided to pursue a solo career.
Bob Marley and The Wailers
Bob Marley decided to add a trio of girls to the group. These girls were: Bob’s wife – Rita, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowat. The band’s name was changed to “Bob Marley and The Wailers”. Robert with the new line-up, as well as with his teacher Higgs, went on tour in Europe, Africa, North and South America.
By 1975, Bob Marley and The Wailers were the only reggae artists to be recognized. All tracks occupied high positions in the tops. And also the intellectual elite of various countries preferred the songs of Bob Marley.
The Jamaican public idolized Robert and listened to all his judgments (political and religious). In December 1976, the musician survived an attempt on his life. Marley, his wife, and manager Don Taylor were shot at. The musician received burns from shots on his chest and arm.
The assassination attempt took place a couple of days before the planned Smile Jamaica concert, the meaning of which was peace talks. It was a free speech, and Michael Manley, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, was responsible for organizing it. Despite the damage, the musician held a concert with 80,000 people.
In 1978, the musician visited his native country in order to again give a concert related to politics. The purpose of the concert was to prevent civil war in the islands. At the end of the event, Marley asked the heads of the opposing organizations to shake hands. The heads were Michael Manley and Edward Seaga.
Recent years
In July 1977, experts diagnosed the musician with malignant melanoma, which was located on the big toe. The disease appeared due to an old injury that appeared after football. The musician refused to amputate his finger because he loved football and wanted to keep playing. But Rastafarianism also forbade amputation, and believed that the human body should be whole.
Marley continued to tour and performed in concerts. So, in 1980, he visited Zimbabwe, which became independent from Great Britain. Germany became the next country. According to the plan, a tour of America was to take place. But there were only two performances. In the Central Park of New York on a jog, the musician lost consciousness.
In the winter of 1980, treatment was carried out in Munich, which did not bring a positive result. Due to chemotherapy, the musician began to lose his hair, so he had to cut off his dreadlocks.
Before his death, Marley decided to be baptized. And on May 4, 1981, the Ethiopian Church baptized the musician.
Robert wanted to meet the last days of life in his homeland. But he began to feel worse and the flight from Germany was stopped in Miami, as the disease reached the vital organs. On May 11, 1981, Robert Nesta Marley died. The funeral took place at home with the participation of the church, but with the customs of Rastafarianism.
Also in the crypt with the musician’s grave are: a Bible, a guitar, a soccer ball, a bunch of marijuana, and a ring (it was a gift from an Ethiopian prince). After Bob’s death, his wife began performing solo. But in the mid-1980s, she stopped working and took up a large family.
Family
In 1965, Marley met an eighteen-year-old girl, Rita Anderson, who later became his only wife.
The marriage was registered in Kingston on February 10, 1966. Robert had four joint children with his legal wife, two children were from Rita’s other relationships, and the remaining seven were born from other women. In total, the musician had eleven native children.
Rastafarianism implies freedom in all its manifestations, so Robert Marley allowed himself connections with other women. He also claimed that he did not want to burden his wife with pregnancies, but he wanted to have many children. All children from other women were raised by his wife Rita.
Children
Sons
- David Nesta (1968), “Ziggy” – musician;
- Stephen (1972) – musician;
- Robert (1972), “Robbie” – enjoys extreme motorcycle riding;
- Roen (1972) – football player;
- Julian (1975) – musician;
- Kai-Mani (1976) – musician;
- Damian (1978), “Gong Jr” – musician.
Daughters
- Imani Carol (1963);
- Sharon (1964) – adopted daughter;
- Sidella (1967) – designer;
- Karen (1973);
- Stephanie (1974) – adopted daughter;
- Makeda (1981).
Robert Nesta Marley is an important figure in the world of music and politics. He was not a member of any political parties, but was the voice of the people. Bob’s songs celebrate ordinary people, poverty, freedom, peace and love. His poems became quotations, and supporters of Rastafarianism considered him a prophet. Popularity and money did not affect the worldview of the musician. He also continued to sing songs dedicated to the problems of mankind. He also organized free concerts to prevent war.
