Bob Marley: The Iconic Reggae Legend And His Lasting Legacy

Bob Marley, a name synonymous with reggae music, was not just a musician but a symbol of peace and resilience. His profound influence on the music industry and culture continues to resonate even decades after his untimely death. This article explores his life, music career, family, and the legacy he left behind, capturing the essence of a man who changed the world through his art.

Latest News: Late Singer Is the Subject of the New Biopic Bob Marley: One Love

Reggae icon Bob Marley is the latest musical great to receive a big-screen biopic, with actor Kingsley Ben-Adir portraying the late singer in Bob Marley: One Love. Despite his untimely death at age 36, Marley was hugely influential as a musician, popularizing reggae around the world, and as an advocate for peace. The movie, now in theaters, also stars Lashana Lynch as Marley’s wife, Rita.

Ben-Adir initially felt he wasn’t a fit for the role, as he couldn’t sing or dance. “My question was if [the casting personnel had] been on a worldwide search, and they said yes. And I said maybe they should go on another one,” he quipped to Entertainment Weekly. However, the actor learned to play guitar and sang all the songs during filming, though only some of his vocals were used.

Who Was Bob Marley?

Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley helped introduce reggae music to the world and remains one of the genre’s most beloved artists, having sold more than 75 million records. In 1963, Marley and his friends formed The Wailing Wailers, which eventually became Bob Marley & The Wailers. The Wailers’ big break came in 1972 when the band landed a contract with Island Records. Marley went on to sell more than 20 million records throughout his career, making him the first international superstar to emerge from the so-called developing world. A father to 11 children, Marley died from cancer in May 1981 at age 36.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Robert Nesta Marley
BORN: February 6, 1945
DIED: May 11, 1981
BIRTHPLACE: St. Ann Parish, Jamaica
SPOUSE: Rita Marley (1966-1981)
CHILDREN: Sharon, Cedella, Robert, Rohan, Karen, Stephanie, Julian, Ky-Mani, Ziggy, Damian, and Stephen
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius

Early Life

Robert Nesta Marley—better known as Bob Marley—was born on February 6, 1945, in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica. Marley’s mother, Cedella Malcolm (later Cedella Booker), a native of Jamaica, was only 18 when she married a much older white man, Norval Sinclair Marley, who worked as a plantation supervisor. They separated shortly after Bob’s birth. Originally from East Sussex, England, Norval was largely absent from his son’s life, and Bob talked about him in scathing terms later on.

Bob spent his early years in St. Ann Parish, in the rural village known as Nine Miles. One of his childhood friends in St. Ann was Neville “Bunny” O’Riley Livingston. Attending the same school, the two shared a love of music. Bunny inspired Marley to learn to play the guitar. Later Livingston’s father and Marley’s mother became involved, and they all lived together for a time in Kingston.

Music Career Beginnings

Local record producer Leslie Kong liked Marley’s vocals and had the teenager record a few singles, the first of which was “Judge Not,” released in 1962. Although he didn’t fare well as a solo artist, Marley found some success joining forces with his friends. In 1963, Marley, Livingston, and McIntosh formed The Wailing Wailers. Their first single, “Simmer Down,” went to the top of the Jamaican charts in January 1964. By this time, the group also included Junior Braithwaite, Beverly Kelso, and Cherry Smith.

The group became quite popular in Jamaica, but they had difficulty making it financially. Braithewaite, Kelso, and Smith left the group. The remaining members drifted apart for a time, and Marley went to the United States where his mother was living.

Wife Rita Marley

Around the time of The Wailers’ hiatus in the mid-1960s, Marley married Alfarita “Rita” Anderson on February 10, 1966. Rita, who was originally from Cuba but moved to Jamaica, sang in church growing up and joined a vocal group called The Soulettes as a teenager. She met Marley while in the group, and he coached her during this time. They continued collaborating professionally when Rita was a member of the I-Threes.

The couple shared five children and remained married until Bob’s death in 1981, despite his multiple extramarital affairs. Rita had trysts herself, and both had children with other partners during the marriage. “As they say you grunt and bear [the infidelity], that’s what I had to do because I was so in love with this man and love grew stronger, it’s not that it grew weaker,” she told BBC Caribbean.com in 2004.

Children

Marley’s estate has recognized 11 children belonging to the singer, including nine that he fathered and two he adopted. With his wife, Marley had five kids. He adopted her daughters Sharon, born in 1964 before their marriage, and Stephanie, born in 1974 from one of Rita’s extramarital affairs. Together, the couple shared three biological children: daughter Cedella, born in 1967; son David, known as “Ziggy” Marley, born in 1968; and son Stephen, born in 1972.

Additionally, Marley had sons Robert (born in 1972), Rohan (1972), Julian (1975), Ky-Mani (1976), and Damian (1978), as well as daughter Karen (1973). Many of Marley’s children followed in his footsteps into the music industry, with notable careers of their own.

Bob Marley & The Wailers

As he began having children, Marley continued his musical career. The Wailers added two new members in 1970: bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett and his brother, drummer Carlton “Carlie” Barrett. The following year, Marley worked on a movie soundtrack in Sweden with Johnny Nash.

The band got its big break in 1972 when The Wailers landed a contract with Island Records, founded by Chris Blackwell. The group’s first full album under the new label was the critically acclaimed Catch a Fire from 1973. To support the record, The Wailers toured Britain and the United States in 1973, performing as an opening act for both Bruce Springsteen and Sly & the Family Stone.

Shot in 1976

Back in Jamaica, Marley continued to be seen as a supporter of the People’s National Party. And his influence in his native land was seen as a threat to PNP’s rivals. This might have led to the assassination attempt on Marley in 1976.

A group of gunmen attacked Marley & The Wailers while they were rehearsing on the night of December 3, 1976, two days before a planned concert in Kingston’s National Heroes Park. Marley was shot, with one bullet striking his sternum and bicep. Another bullet hit Rita in the head. Fortunately, the Marleys weren’t severely injured, but manager Don Taylor wasn’t as lucky. Shot five times, Taylor needed surgery to save his life. Despite the attack and after much deliberation, Marley still played at the show.

Later Albums and Songs

Now living in London, Marley went to work on Exodus, which was released in 1977. The title track draws an analogy between the biblical story of Moses and the Israelites leaving exile and his own situation. The song also discusses returning to Africa. The concept of Africans and descendants of Africans repatriating their homeland can be linked to the work of activist Marcus Garvey.

Released as a single, “Exodus” was a hit in the United Kingdom, as were “Waiting in Vain” and “Jamming,” and the entire album stayed on the British charts for more than a year. Today, Exodus is considered to be one of the best albums ever made.

Death

Marley’s illness was a resurgence of the acral lentiginous melanoma discovered earlier in his toe. The cancer had now spread throughout his body, including his brain, lungs, and liver. Traveling to Europe, Marley underwent unconventional treatment in Germany and was subsequently able to fight off the cancer for months. However, it soon became clear that Marley didn’t have much longer to live.

The musician set out to return to his beloved Jamaica