The Story Of: Bob Marley

Bob was born on February 6, 1945, in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica. Bob Marley helped to introduce reggae music to the world and remains one of the genre's most beloved artists to this day. He is son of a black teenage mother and much older, later absent white father, he spent his early years in St. Ann Parish, in the rular village known as 'Nine Miles'

His friend Bunny inspired Bob to learn to play guitar. Later his father and Marley's mother became involved and they all lived together for time in Kingston.

They arrived in Kingston in the late 1950's. Marley lived in Trench Town. He later said that there were 3 types of people there- bad people, musicians and sports man.

Sounds from the United States also drifted through Jamaica. Marley liked artists such as Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, and the Drifters.

By the time he had turned 16, Marley had recorded his first single ‘Judge Not’, and in 1963, he formed The Wailers with Peter Tosh, Bunny Livingstone, Junior Braithwaite, and Beverly Kelso. The band then scored their first number one in Jamaica with 'Simmer Down' on the Coxsone label.

While he did not 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 a part for a time. Marley went to the United States where his mother was now living. However, before he left, he married Rita Anderson on February 10, 1966.

Their breakthrough came in 1972 when Chris Blackwell - who had released 'Judge Not' in England in 1963 - signed the Wailers to Island Records and advanced them the money to record themselves in Jamaica. The first result of this new contract was 1973’s 'Catch A Fire', the breakthrough album that saw the band reach an international audience for the first time. It was followed a year later by Burnin', which included the songs "Get Up, Stand Up" and "I Shot The Sheriff".

In 1976, Marley was shot by gunmen during the Jamaican election campaign, but survived and continued to soar in popularity until his 1981 death due to brain, lung and stomach cancer.