brief biography of bob marley

Jamaican singer and songwriter Bob Marley served as a world ambassador for reggae music and has sold more than 75 million records to date.

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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.

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Listen to a sampling of Ben-Adir’s vocals in the biopic’s trailer:

Who Was Bob Marley?

Quick facts, music career beginnings, wife rita marley, bob marley & the wailers, shot in 1976, later albums and songs, legacy: museum, 2024 movie, and more.

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.

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

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, according to Christopher John Farley’s Before the Legend: The Rise of Bob Marley .

Arriving in the Jamaican capital in the late 1950s, Marley lived in Trench Town, one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. He struggled in poverty, but he found inspiration in the music around him. Trench Town had a number of successful local performers and was considered the Motown of Jamaica. Sounds from the United States also drifted in over the radio and through jukeboxes. Marley liked such artists as Ray Charles , Elvis Presley , Fats Domino , and the Drifters.

Marley and Livingston devoted much of their time to music. Under the guidance of Joe Higgs, Marley worked on improving his singing abilities. He met another student of Higgs, Peter McIntosh (later Peter Tosh) who eventually played an important role in Marley’s career.

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.

After eight months, Marley returned to Jamaica. He reunited with Livingston and McIntosh to form The Wailers. Around this time, Marley was exploring his spiritual side and developing a growing interest in the Rastafarian movement. Both religious and political, the Rastafarian movement began in Jamaica in 1930s and drew its beliefs from many sources, including Jamaican nationalist Marcus Garvey , the Bible’s Old Testament, and their African heritage and culture. It also considers the use of marijuana , known as the “holy herb,” sacred because the drug can produce heightened spiritual states. Marley smoked marijuana throughout his life and was an advocate for its legalization.

For a time in the late 1960s, Marley worked with pop singer Johnny Nash. Nash scored a worldwide hit with Marley’s song “Stir It Up.” The Wailers also worked with producer Lee Perry during this era; some of their successful songs together were “Trench Town Rock,” “Soul Rebel,” and “Four Hundred Years.”

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.

As of July 2023, Rita is retired and lives in Miami.

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 his footsteps into the music industry. For years, Ziggy, Stephen, Cedella, and Sharon played together as Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers. Ziggy and Stephen have also had their own solo careers. Sons Damian—known as “Jr. Gong”—Ky-Mani, and Julian are also talented recording artists. Other Marley children are involved in family-related businesses, including the Tuff Gong record label, founded by Marley in the mid-1960s.

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. That same year, the group released their second full album, Burnin’ , featuring the hit song “I Shot the Sheriff.” Rock legend Eric Clapton released a cover of the song in 1974, and it became a No. 1 hit in the United States.

Before releasing their next album, 1975’s Natty Dread , two of the three original Wailers left the group; McIntosh and Livingston decided to pursue solo careers as Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, respectively. Natty Dread reflected some of the political tensions in Jamaica between the People’s National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party. Violence sometimes erupted due to these conflicts. “Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock)” was inspired by Marley’s experience of being stopped by army members late one night prior to the 1972 national elections, and “Revolution” was interpreted by many as Marley’s endorsement for the PNP.

For their next tour, The Wailers performed with I-Threes, a female group whose members included Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt, and Marley’s wife, Rita. Now called Bob Marley & The Wailers, the band toured extensively and helped increase reggae’s popularity abroad. In the United Kingdom in 1975, they scored their first Top 40 hit with “No Woman, No Cry.”

Already a much-admired star in his native Jamaica, Marley was on his way to becoming an international music icon. He made the American music charts with the album Rastaman Vibration in 1976. One track stands out as an expression of his devotion to his faith and his interest in political change: “War.” The song’s lyrics were taken from a speech by Haile Selassie , the 20 th century Ethiopian emperor who is seen as a type of a spiritual leader in the Rastafarian movement. A battle cry for freedom from oppression, the song discusses a new Africa, one without the racial hierarchy enforced by colonial rule.

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 butllet 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. The motivation behind the attack was never uncovered, and Marley fled the country the day after the concert.

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.

Marley had a health scare in 1977. He sought treatment that July for a toe he thought he injured earlier in the year. After discovering cancerous cells in his toe, doctors suggested amputation. Marley refused to have the surgery, however, because his religious beliefs prohibited amputation.

While working on Exodus , Bob Marley & The Wailers recorded songs that were later released on the album Kaya (1978). With love as its theme, the work featured two hits: “Satisfy My Soul” and “Is This Love.” Also in 1978, Marley returned to Jamaica to perform his One Love Peace Concert, where he got Prime Minister Michael Manley of the PNP and opposition leader Edward Seaga of the JLP to shake hands on stage.

That same year, Marley made his first trip to Africa. He visited Kenya and Ethiopia, an especially important nation to him as it’s viewed as the spiritual homeland of Rastafarians. Perhaps inspired by his travels, the band’s next album, Survival (1979), was seen as a call for both greater unity and an end to oppression on the African continent. In 1980, Bob Marley & The Wailers played an official independence ceremony for the new nation of Zimbabwe. Also that year, the United Nations awarded Marley its Medal of Peace.

A huge international success, Uprising (1980) featured “Could You Be Loved” and “Redemption Song.” Known for its poetic lyrics and social and political importance, the pared down, folk-sounding “Redemption Song” was an illustration of Marley’s talents as a songwriter. One line from the song reads: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery / none but ourselves can free our minds.”

On tour to support the album, Bob Marley & The Wailers traveled throughout Europe, playing in front of large crowds. They also planned a series of concerts in the United States, but the group only played three concerts there—two at Madison Square Garden in New York City and one performance at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh—before Marley became too sick to continue.

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 one last time to receive the Order of Merit from the Jamaican government. But, he didn’t manage to complete the journey. Marley died in Miami on May 11, 1981, at age 36.

Adored by the people of Jamaica, Marley was given a hero’s send-off. More than 30,000 people paid their respects to the musician during his memorial service, held at the National Arena in Kingston, Jamaica. Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, and Judy Mowatt sang, and The Wailers performed at the ceremony, too.

Marley’s death set off a legal battle over his estate, as he did not leave a will. According to Rolling Stone , his widow, Rita, was reportedly forced to sign a fake will in the late 1980s; the Jamaican government soon took control of the estate and sold it to the head of Island Records, Chris Blackwell. After a court battle, the family was granted possession in 1991.

In 1986, Marley’s widow, Rita, founded the Bob Marley Foundation, which works to “perpetuate the spiritual, cultural, social and musical ideals which guided and inspired [Bob Marley] during his lifetime.” She remains the organization’s chairperson. Rita also established the Bob Marley Museum at the site of the musician’s home in Kingston, Jamaica, from 1975 until his death. The museum has numerous personal items belonging to Marley on display and also features a theater, photo gallery, and record shop.

In 2001, Rita helped organize the rerelease of 18 of Marley’s albums. “The music is a salve that will heal the world eventually, so we thought that this generation that really didn’t get a chance to see Bob Marley and isn’t able to get some of his old selections will now be able to do this,” she said .

Marley has inspired multiple movies. The 2012 documentary Marley , directed by Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald, combined interviews with unheard tracks and footage of Marley to tell the story of his life and career.

On February 14, 2024, the biopic Bob Marley: One Love released in theaters with actor Kingsley Ben-Adir in the lead role. Members of the Marley family were involved in the movie’s production. Ben-Adir told CBS Sunday Morning he initially had misgivings about his fit for the role because of his stature. He is 6-foot-2, while Marley was 5-foot-6. Ben-Adir lost 40 pounds for his screen test. “It was too much. I felt sick, I wasn’t sleeping,” the actor said. “There were a lot of conversations with the family where it was like, ‘We’re just trying to find Bob’s essence and his spirit in this film. You can’t copy Bob.’” Ultimately, that helped him agree to job offer.

Decades after his death, Marley’s music remains widely acclaimed. Billboard reported in 2015 that Marley had sold more than 75 million records, including copies of albums released posthumously such as the multiplatinum greatest hits collection Legends . In January 2018, Blackwell sold the majority of his rights to Marley’s catalog to Primary Wave Music Publishing, known for its branding and marketing campaigns for “the icons and legends business.”

• Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery / none but ourselves can free our minds.
• Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?
• One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.
• In this bright future, you can’t forget your past.
• I want to give you some love, I want to give you some good good lovin’.
• I believe in freedom for everyone, not just the Black man.
• Herb is the unification of mankind.
• Every man got a right to decide his own destiny.
• Don’t worry about a thing / every little thing is gonna be all right.
• Better to die fighting for freedom than to be a prisoner all the days of your life.
• Don’t gain the world and lose your soul. Wisdom is better than silver or gold.
• Love the life you live. Live the life you love.
• The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you, you just got to find the ones worth suffering for.

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Short Biography of Bob Marley

Reading Comprehension – A Short Biography of Bob Marley

Develop your reading skills. Read the following short biography of Bob Marley and do the comprehension task.

Bob Marley: A Musical Legacy

The Beginning

Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945. He was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist who achieved international fame and acclaim. Starting out in 1963 with the group The Wailers, he forged a distinctive songwriting and vocal style that later resonated with audiences worldwide. After The Wailers disbanded in 1974, Marley pursued a solo career that culminated in the release of the album Exodus in 1977. This album established his worldwide reputation and solidified his status as one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, with sales of more than 75 million records.

Bob Marley was a committed Rastafari, an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica in the 1930s. This religion infused his music with a sense of spirituality. The Rastafari movement played a crucial role in the development of reggae music. As a staunch proponent of Rastafari, Bob Marley took reggae music out of the socially deprived areas of Jamaica and onto the international music scene.

Illness and Death

In July 1977, Marley was diagnosed with a type of malignant melanoma under the nail of a toe. He declined his doctors’ advice to have his toe amputated due to his religious beliefs. Despite his illness, he continued touring until his health deteriorated as the cancer spread throughout his body. He passed away on May 11, 1981, at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami (now University of Miami Hospital) at the age of 36. The melanoma had spread to his lungs and brain, leading to his demise. His final words to his son Ziggy were:

“Money can’t buy life.”

Source: Wikipedia

Comprehension:

• Bob Marley continued working with The Wailers until his death. a. True b. False
• He was very religious. a. True b. False
• He refused to have his toe amputated because he thought it was useless. a. True b. False
• He died in Jamaica. a. True b. False

Related Pages:

• Fact Sheet about Jamaica
• Points of interest

History Cooperative

Bob Marley Bio: Life, Career, and Death of the Reggae Icon

Bob Marley was a Reggae pioneer known and loved across the globe. From humble Jamaican roots to superstardom, Marley was an inimitable cultural figure whose songs carried an entire generation. Despite his untimely death in 1981, Bob Marley’s impact on music, politics, social issues, and Rastafarian culture continues today.

Table of Contents

Early Life and Background

Bob Marley was born February 6, 1945, as Robert Nesta Marley in Nine Mile, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. His parents were Cedella Booker (nee Malcolm) and Norval Sinclair Marley. In his youth, Marley rarely saw his father, a man 41 years his mother’s senior. His father died when Marley was 10 years old.

Instead, the most influential relationship he formed in his youth was with his maternal grandfather, Omeriah Malcolm, who ignited his love for music . Marley continued to forge meaningful relationships throughout his childhood in Jamaica, from Nine Mile to Kingston. A majority of these relationships carried on through adulthood and Marley’s skyrocketing fame.

Nine Mile is a small village in Jamaica and is famous for being where Bob Marley was born and, eventually, buried. Only numbering a couple hundred in population, Marley grew up surrounded by a close-knit community until he and his mother moved to Trench Town in Kingston, Jamaica. During his childhood in Nine Mile, Marley became friends with Neville O’Riley Livingston, whom he would later form the iconic ska group The Wailers with.

Bob Marley’s Family: Wives and Children

Bob Marley married Rita Anderson in 1966. Together, the couple had three children. Rita had a daughter from a previous relationship and Marley adopted her at the time of his marriage to Rita. During their marriage, Rita had a daughter with Owen Stewart, a Jamaican soccer player. Marley would adopt this daughter as well.

Counting all of his children – biological and adopted – Bob Marley had 12 kids from various relationships. Of his paramours that gave him children are…

• Rita Marley
• Pat “Lucille” Williams
• Janet Bowen 
• Lucy Pounder
• Anita Belnavis
• Cindy Breakspeare
• Yvette Crichton

The above are women that Marley publicly dated, often simultaneously, or otherwise had known romances with. And, yes, this was all during his legal marriage to his wife, Rita Marley. From what we can tell though, the Marleys were open with each other, and with their relationship. Neither was a stranger to extramarital affairs and the children born from these trysts were usually raised together.

Bob Marley’s known children are as follows:

• Sharon Marley (born 1964, adopted by Marley when he married Rita)
• Cedella Marley (born 1967 to Rita)
• David Nesta Marley, alt. Ziggy Marley (born 1968 to Rita)
• Stephen Marley (born 1972 to Rita)
• Robbie Marley (born 1972 to Pat Williams)
• Rohan Marley (born 1972 to Janet Hunt)
• Karen Marley (born 1973 to Janet Bowen)
• Stephanie Marley (born 1974, daughter of Rita and Owen Stewart, adopted by Marley)
• Julian Marley (born 1975 to Lucy Pounder)
• Ky-Mani Marley (born 1976 to Anita Belnavis)
• Damian Marley (born 1978 to Cindy Breakspeare)
• Makeda Jashnesta Marley (born 1981 to Yvette Crichton)

Rita remained a steadfast partner throughout Marley’s life, acting as a muse, confidante, and vocalist. He dedicated No Woman, No Cry to her and Is This Love . Other lovers of Marley acted as inspiration throughout his musical career, though none as consistently as Rita. Cindy Breakspeare inspired the songs Turn Your Lights Down Low and Waiting in Vain . Breakspeare was also thought to have remained in a relationship with Marley from 1976 until he died in 1981, making their partnership one of Marley’s longer unions outside of his marriage.

As far as the Marley kids go, they are no strangers to success. Talent seems to run in their blood, with many pursuing careers in music and the arts. Four of the children – Ziggy, Sharon, Cedella, and Stephan – formed the reggae group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers in 1979.

Religion and Beliefs – Rastafarian Faith and Cultural Identity

Bob Marley was extremely open regarding his Rastafarian faith and beliefs. Rastafarianism (or simply Rastafari) is a religious and social movement that began in Jamaica in the early 20th century. Practitioners are monotheistic, believing in Jah (God).

Marley didn’t get involved with the Rastafari faith until the 1960s. Until that point, he was raised Catholic under his mother. Rastafari resonated with Marley religiously, culturally, socially, and politically.

Within Jamaica and among practitioners within the African diaspora, Rastafari became synonymous with revolution. It was – and is – to many an alternative to predominately Western Christianity. Marley’s steadfast belief in Rastafarianism made him a vocal pacifist and a key figure in the anti-war movement. Rastas further follow Old Testament prohibitions on cutting hair, tattoos, and cutting the flesh. It is because of this that Marley refused to amputate his toe after melanoma was detected in 1977.

Rastafari heavily influenced Marley’s music. Marley’s reggae was a spiritual experience, as fans worldwide would attest. Many of his songs discuss society’s woes: oppression, poverty, war, and violence. These topics are central themes in Rastafarianism as they relate to Babylon – or, European colonial powers and the repressive society they wrought.

No song quite encompasses Bob Marley’s religious and political beliefs as War , which was featured on the album Rastaman Vibration (1976). The lyrics themselves were nearly identical to a United Nations speech made by Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, who Rastas widely believe to be God incarnate. They emphasized peace, ending racial injustices, and dismantling European imperial policies.

Marley’s Accomplishments, Musical Career, and Rise to Fame

Bob Marley started as a young, scrappy 16-year-old musician. He was mentored by the reggae pioneer Joe Higgs alongside his future bandmates Bunny Livingston and Peter Tosh. They would go on to form The Wailers, expanding the band with unforgettable members like Aston Barrett and Donald Kinsey. The Wailers also added the “I Threes,” harmony vocalists after Tosh and Livingston left the band in 1974. From ‘74 on, Marley continued the band as Bob Marley and the Wailers.

At the start of his career in 1963, Marley was in a group known as The Teenagers with Bunny Livingston, Peter Tosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith. After several name changes, the group became known as The Wailers after getting signed by Coxsone Dodd for his label. By 1964, their music was championed at the top of Jamaica’s charts. From then on, it didn’t take long for the band to gain popularity on the international stage.

Through Marley’s lyrics, mesmerizing instrumentals, and vocals, reggae music expanded beyond Jamaica. As he grew in international acclaim, so did the reggae genre. Reggae became especially popular in the United States, the UK, and Africa by the 1970s, where Marley’s image became synonymous with the musical genre.

Discography

Bob Marley was an inimitable musician with several successful studio albums under his belt. The album releases spanned 15 years and began with music by The Wailers. According to bobmarley.com , Marley’s discography includes the following studio albums:

• The Wailing Wailers (1965)
• Soul Rebels (1970)
• Soul Revolution (1971)
• The Best of the Wailers (1971)
• Catch A Fire (1973)
• Burnin’ (1973)
• Natty Dread (1974) 
• Rastaman Vibration (1976)
• Exodus (1977)
• Kaya (1978)
• Survival (1979)
• Uprising (1980)
• Confrontation (1983)*

After Marley’s death, live recordings, remixes, and musical compilations were released to the public. The most recent of these was in 2024, as the soundtrack of the biographical drama Bob Marley: One Love .

*Confrontation was released posthumously and is considered Bob Marley’s final studio album

Studio Albums

The release of Bob Marley’s studio albums began with The Wailing Wailers in 1965. He continued to release albums as Bob Marley and The Wailers until he died in 1981. Although the studio album Uprising (1980) was the last album released in his lifetime, his final album is considered Confrontation , which was released posthumously in 1983.

Awards and Honors

In his lifetime, Bob Marley was granted three awards. The first of these was Rolling Stone ’s “Band of the Year” in 1976, honoring Bob Marley and the Wailers. The second award was bestowed upon him by the United Nations (UN) in 1978: the Peace Medal of the Third World. The third was the Jamaican Order of Merit in 1981, three months before his death. Otherwise, many of Bob Marley’s awards and honors were given to him posthumously.

Those posthumous awards and honors include…

• Being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1994)
• Time magazine elected Exodus as the “Album of the Century” (1999)
• Getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2001)
• Being awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2001)
• Named one of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” by Rolling Stone (2004)
• The first-ever NJCT plaque at his former UK residence (2006)
• The studio album Catch A Fire was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (2010)
• Inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame (2022)

Political Activism and Social Impact

“Let righteousness cover the earth like the water cover the sea!” — Bob Marley and the Wailers, “ Revolution ”

Bob Marley was an outspoken advocate for racial justice and was staunchly anti-war. Whenever he was able, Marley spoke on the side of peace. When Jamaica was a political warzone, he did his best to remain a neutral force and a unifying voice of reason. War and violence benefit no one – they merely continue the brutal cycle as its own self-fulfilling prophecy.

Marley’s message of peace was emphasized in 1978, during the One Love Peace Concert in Kingston. There, he brought the political rivals, Michael Manley and Edward Seaga, together on stage as a sign of unity for all of Jamaica. This was all despite an assassination attempt two years before on the eve of the Smile Jamaica concert, which was originally meant to quell rampant political violence . Many believe that Marley’s actions in 1978 stopped Jamaica from sinking into a civil war even with continued tensions.

Besides preaching peace in Jamaica, Bob Marley was a supporter of the Black Panthers in the United States. He also held pan-Africanism beliefs, which was yet another idea carried over from Rastafari. Altogether, Marley sought social equity for minorities who were being exploited by outdated imperial and colonial systems and cared deeply about the political state of Jamaica.

Illness and Death

Bob Marley died at the age of 36 on May 11, 1981, after a four-year struggle against skin cancer. He was diagnosed with acral lentiginous melanoma beneath the nail of his right big toe in 1977. Contrary to popular belief, the melanoma was not caused by a previous soccer injury. He had it – unknowingly – for a while.

Doctors advised Marley to amputate the toe that same year to prevent the cancer from spreading to other areas of his body. Doing such, however, would have interfered with Marley’s Rastafari faith. He instead chose to go through a less severe treatment, one that included a skin graft and removal of the nail bed. This was acceptable within his faith and allowed him to continue performing.

After Bob Marley’s shocking cancer diagnosis, the musician carried on with life as usual. He even went as far as to plan a 1980 world tour alongside The Wailers: The Uprising Tour . This would be Marley’s final tour before his death the following year. By the time of his final concert in September of 1980, the cancer had spread to Marley’s brain, lungs, and liver.

By the end of 1980, it was evident that Bob Marley wouldn’t make a comeback. After months of failed alternative medical treatments, Marley was set to return to his beloved Jamaica. Unfortunately, he never made it back. His condition worsened on his flight home, causing a stopover in Florida for emergency medical care. There, at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital (now the University of Miami Hospital), Bob Marley succumbed to a malignant melanoma.

For a man like Marley, whose career influenced politics, religion, and society, he could not be forgotten. The Wailers released a tributary album, Africa Unite (2023), to honor Marley’s unifying legacy. Meanwhile, Rita Marley has remained a driving force behind preserving her late husband’s memory. His descendants – children and grandchildren alike – have continued to carry on his legacy through their work and art.

Legacy and Depictions in Popular Culture

In major media and popular culture, Bob Marley cuts an unmistakable figure. He has been the topic of several biographical films and docu-series. They have tried to capture the essence of the reggae star and the legacy he left to the world.

• Rebel Music: The Bob Marley Story (2001)
• Bob Marley: The Making of a Legend (2011)
• Marley (2012)
• Bob Marley: Legacy (2020)
• Bob Marley: One Love (2024) 

Ever one to make lasting impressions, Marley’s image and lyrics have reappeared time and time again throughout some of the most world-changing events in recent history. His work has been used to encourage both change and peace. At protests and marches, one can almost always find references to Marley and his music.

Bob Marley goes down in history as one of the most influential reggae musicians of all time. His lasting impact on music and societies around the world is highlighted through his continued messages of peace, justice, and unity – and his amazing music, of course.

From the small community of Nine Mile to the effervescent city of Kingston, Marley lived life to its fullest. International stardom couldn’t weigh him down, either. He instead embraced the role as a means to communicate with the wider world what he stood for. And, he actually succeeded in what many people hope to do in their lives: Bob Marley made a difference.

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• Born February 6 , 1945 · Nine Miles, St. Ann, Jamaica
• Died May 11 , 1981 · Miami, Florida, USA (metastatic skin cancer)
• Birth name Robert Nesta Marley
• Height 5′ 6¾″ (1.70 m)
• Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945, in Nine Miles, Saint Ann, Jamaica, to Norval Marley and Cedella Booker . His father was a Jamaican of English descent. His mother was a black teenager. The couple were married in 1944 but Norval left for Kingston immediately after. Norval died in 1957, seeing his son only a few times. Bob Marley started his career with the Wailers, a group he formed with Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston in 1963. Marley married Rita Marley in February 1966, and it was she who introduced him to Rastafarianism. By 1969 Bob, Tosh and Livingston had fully embraced Rastafarianism, which greatly influence Marley's music in particular and on reggae music in general. The Wailers collaborated with Lee Scratch Perry, resulting in some of the Wailers' finest tracks like "Soul Rebel", "Duppy Conquerer", "400 Years" and "Small Axe." This collaboration ended bitterly when the Wailers found that Perry, thinking the records were his, sold them in England without their consent. However, this brought the Wailers' music to the attention of Chris Blackwell , the owner of Island Records. Blackwell immediately signed the Wailers and produced their first album, "Catch a Fire". This was followed by "Burnin'", featuring tracks as "Get Up Stand Up" and "I Shot the Sheriff." Eric Clapton 's cover of that song reached #1 in the US. In 1974 Tosh and Livingston left the Wailers to start solo careers. Marley later formed the band "Bob Marley and the Wailers", with his wife Rita as one of three backup singers called the I-Trees. This period saw the release of some groundbreaking albums, such as "Natty Dread", "Rastaman Vibration". In 1976, during a period of spiraling political violence in Jamaica, an attempt was made on Marley's life. Marley left for England, where he lived in self-exile for two years. In England "Exodus" was produced, and it remained on the British charts for 56 straight weeks. This was followed by another successful album, "Kaya." These successes introduced reggae music to the western world for the first time, and established the beginning of Marley's international status. In 1977 Marley consulted with a doctor when a wound in his big toe would not heal. More tests revealed malignant melanoma. He refused to have his toe amputated as his doctors recommended, claiming it contradicted his Rastafarian beliefs. Others, however, claim that the main reason behind his refusal was the possible negative impact on his dancing skills. The cancer was kept secret from the general public while Bob continued working. Returning to Jamaica in 1978, he continued work and released "Survival" in 1979 which was followed by a successful European tour. In 1980 he was the only foreign artist to participated in the independence ceremony of Zimbabwe. It was a time of great success for Marley, and he started an American tour to reach blacks in the US. He played two shows at Madison Square Garden, but collapsed while jogging in NYC's Central Park on September 21, 1980. The cancer diagnosed earlier had spread to his brain, lungs and stomach. Bob Marley died in a Miami hospital on May 11, 1981. He was 36 years old. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous & MO840
• Spouse Rita Marley (February 10, 1966 - May 11, 1981) (his death, 5 children)
• Children Sharon Marley Prendergast Cedella Marley Ziggy Marley Stephen Marley Stephanie Rohan Marley Robbie Karen Julian Marley Damian Marley Ky-Mani Marley Makeda Jaknesta
• Parents Cedella Booker Norval Sinclair Marley
• Relatives Selah Louise (Grandchild) Zion David (Grandchild) Charles Mattocks (Niece or Nephew) Richard Booker (Half Sibling) Bam Marley (Grandchild)
• Always had his hair in dreadlocks
• Started every performance by proclaiming the divinity of Jah Rastafari
• Gibson Epiphone
• He is buried in a crypt at Nine Miles, near his birthplace, with his Gibson Les Paul Guitar, a soccer ball, a cannabis bud, and a Bible.
• Survived an assassination attempt, receiving minor injuries in the chest and arm (December 1976).
• Refused amputation of his cancer-affected toe due to his religious beliefs.
• Was arrested in England for possession of a joint of a marijuana.
• Was voted the third greatest lyricist of all time by BBC News Online users, following Bob Dylan and John Lennon (May 2001).
• My music will go on forever. Maybe it's a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever.
• I have a BMW. But only because BMW stands for Bob Marley and The Wailers, and not because I need an expensive car.
• Bob Marley isn't my name. I don't even know my name yet.
• I no have education. I have inspiration. If I was educated I would be a damn fool.
• [on politics] Well, everything is political. I will never be a politician or even think political. Me just deal with life and nature. That is the greatest thing to me.

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Bob Marley - Biography

Bob Marley Biography

Robert Nesta Marley (February 6, 1945 - May 11, 1981), better known as Bob Marley , was a singer , guitarist , songwriter from the ghettos of Jamaica . He is the best known reggae musician of all times, famous for popularising the genre outside of Jamaica. Much of his work deals with the struggles of the impoverished and/or powerless. He has been called the Charles Wesley of the Rastafarian faith for the way he spread Rastafari through his music.

He was the husband of Rita Anderson Marley (who was one of the I Threes , who acted as the Wailers' back up singers after they became a global act). She had 4 of his 9 children, including David Ziggy Marley and Stephen Marley who continue their father's musical legacy in their band The Melody Makers. Another of his sons Damien Marley (aka 'Jr Gong') has also started a career in Music.

Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945 in Jamaica to Norval Marley, a middle-aged white plantation overseer from England, and Cedella Booker, a black teenager from the north country. Cedella and Norval were to be married on June 9th, 1944. Approximately a week before the wedding, however, Norval informed Cedella that his chronic hernia had begun to trouble him and as a result he would be changing jobs and moving to Kingston. Norval never really knew his son because of the white upper class' disdain for interracial relationships. As a youth, Bob Marley was often the object of bitter ridicule by both white and black Jamaicans for his mixed heritage.

Musical career

Marley started his musical experimentation in ska and gravitated towards reggae as the music evolved, playing, teaching and singing for a long period in the 1970s and 1980s . Marley is perhaps best-known for work with his reggae group 'The Wailers', which included two other celebrated reggae musicians, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh . Livingstone and Tosh later left the group and went on to become successful solo artists.

Much of Marley's early work was produced by Coxsone Dodd at Studio One . That relationship later deteriorated due to financial pressure, and in the early 1970s he produced what is believed by many to be his finest work with Lee Perry . This pair also split apart, this time over the assignment of recording rights. They did work together again in London, though, and remained friends until Marley's death.

Marley's work was largely responsible for the mainstream cultural acceptance of reggae music outside of Jamaica. He signed to Chris Blackwell 's Island Records label in 1971, at the time a highly influential and innovative label. Island Records boasted a retinue of successful and diverse artists including Genesis , John Martyn and Nick Drake . Though many people believe that Blackwell interfered with what Marley wanted to do with his own music, truth is that the knowledge this producer brought to the scene was critical in Marley's wish to bring reggae to the world.

Religious and political convictions

Marley was well known for his devotion to the Rastafarian religion . It was his wife Rita who first inspired him in his faith , and he then received teachings from Mortimer Planner . He served as a de facto missionary for the faith (his actions and lyrics suggest that this was intentional) and brought it to global attention. Through his music he preached brotherhood and peace for all of mankind. Towards the end of his life he was also baptised into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church with the name Berhane Selassie.

As a Rasta, Bob Marley was a great defender of cannabis which he used as a sacrament. On the cover of Catch a Fire he is seen smoking a big spliff , and the spiritual use of cannabis is mentioned in many of his songs.

In 1976, just two days before a scheduled free concert that Marley and the then Jamaican PM Michael Manley had organized, Marley, his wife Rita and manager Don Taylor, were shot inside the star's 56 Hope Road home. Marley received minor injuries in the arm and chest. Don Taylor took most of the bullets in his legs and torso as he accidentally walked in the line of fire. He was registered in serious condition after he was rushed to the hospital but fully recovered later. Rita also recovered of the head wound she received that night. It is generally believed that this shooting was politically motivated. Jamaican politics being somewhat violent at the time, especially when close to elections time as it was then. The concert was seen as being in support of the progressive prime minister of Jamaica, Michael Manley . It is widely held that he was shot by supporters of the conservative political party of Jamaica, the Jamaica Labour Party . However, there is little evidence to support this. Though the police never caught the gunmen, Marley devotees later 'caught up' with them on the streets of Kingston.

Marley was known to have connections with the Twelve Tribes of Israel sect of Rastafari, and he expressed this with a biblical quote about Joseph, son of Jacob on the album cover of Rastaman Vibration . The tribe of Joseph is Aquarius

Battle with cancer

In July 1977, Marley was found to have a wound on his right big toe, which he thought was from a soccer injury. The wound would not completely heal, and his toenail later fell off during a soccer game. It was then that the correct diagnosis was made. Marley actually had a form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma , which grew under his toenail. He was advised to get his toe amputated , but he refused because of the Rastafarian belief that doctors are samfai , confidence men who cheat the gullible by pretending to have the power of witchcraft. He also was concerned about the impact the operation would have on his dancing; amputation would profoundly affect his career at a time when greater success was close at hand. Still, Marley based this refusal on his Rastafarian beliefs, saying, 'Rasta no abide amputation. I and I don't allow a mon ta be dismantled.' Catch a Fire , Timothy White He did have surgery to try to excise the cancer cells. The cancer was kept a secret from the wider public.

The cancer spread to his brain , his lungs and his stomach . While on tour in the summer of 1980, he collapsed while jogging in NYC's Central Park after a series of shows at Madison Square Garden . The illness made him unable to continue with the large tour planned. Marley sought help, mostly from the controversial cancer specialist Josef Issels , but it was discovered that his illness was terminal. A month before his death, he was awarded Jamaica's Order of Merit. He wanted to spend his final days in Jamaica but he became too ill on the flight home from Germany and had to land in Miami. He passed away at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, Florida on May 11, 1981. His funeral in Jamaica was a dignified affair with combined elements of Ethiopian Orthodoxy (he had secretly been baptized into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as Bernahe Selassie) and Rastafarianism. He is buried in a crypt at Nine Miles, near his birthplace. His early death brought him nearly mythic status in music history similar to that of Elvis Presley and John Lennon . His image and music continue to produce a huge stream of revenue for his estate. He was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

Recent events

In January 2005, it was reported  ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4168883.stm ) that Rita Marley is planning to have her late husband's remains exhumed and reburied in Shashamane , Ethiopia . In announcing the decision to move Marley's remains to Ethiopia, Rita Marley said: 'Bob's whole life is about Africa , it is not Jamaica.' There is as lot of resistance to this proposal in Jamaica, including from the establishment , who contradicted Rita by saying that Bob was entirely a product of Jamaican culture . The birthday celebrations for what would have been his 60th birthday on February 6th 2005 were celebrated in Shashamane for the first time, having previously always been held in Jamaica. Bob Marley birthday celebrations marked by dispute over possible reburial

• 1  ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4225239.stm )

Rewards and honors

• 1976 - Band of the Year ( Rolling Stone )
• June 1978 - Awarded the Peace Medal of the Third World from the United Nations
• February 1981 - Awarded Jamaica's highest honor, the Order of Merit
• 1999 - Album of the Century ( Time Magazine ) for Exodus )
• February 2001 - A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• February 2001 - Awarded Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

Discography

• Judge Not (1961) ( Single )
• Simmer Down (1964) (Single)
• 'Concrete Jungle'
• 'Midnight Ravers'
• 'Stir It Up'
• 'Small Axe'
• 'Trench Town Rock'
• 'Get Up, Stand Up'
• 'I Shot the Sheriff'
• 'Lively up yourself'
• 'No Woman No Cry'
• 'Natty Dread'
• 'Talking blues'
• 'Revolution'
• 'No Woman No Cry' (the famous live version)
• 'Crazy Baldhead'
• 'Jammin'' (1977)
• 'Natural mystic'
• 'One Love / People Get Ready'
• 'Three Little Birds'
• 'Waiting in Vain'
• 'Is This Love'
• 'Satisfy My Soul'
• 'So Much Trouble In The World'
• 'Top Rankin''
• 'Babylon System'
• 'Africa Unite'
• 'Ride Natty Ride'
• 'Ambush In The Night'
• 'Wake Up And Live'
• 'Could You Be Loved'
• 'Redemption Song'
• 'Reggae On Broadway' (earlier single (by CBS ))
• 'Buffalo Soldier'

Sound samples

• Download sample of ' Redemption Song '

External links

• Bob Marley at 60, what's planned?  ( http://www.tributetobobmarley.com/ )
• Bob Marley Lyrics  ( http://www.jamaicalyrics.com.ar/index.php?mod=search&type=0&find=bob+marley )
• Bob Marley Lyrics  ( http://lyrics.rare-lyrics.com/B/Bob-Marley.html )
• Bob Marley  ( http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0002490/ ) at the Internet Movie Database
• On October 4, 1963, Haile Selassie addressed the United Nations with his famous peace speech  ( http://www.bobmarley.com/life/rastafari/war_speech.html ) from which Bob Marley made the song 'War'.
• www.bobmarley.com
• Lovers and Children of the Natural Mystic: The Story of Bob Marley, Women and their Children  ( http://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/dixon.html )
• Family tree of Bob Marley  ( http://hem.passagen.se/ielbo/wail/wailerft.htm )
• Bob Marley Forever - Posters, Shirts, Books, Lyrics and more  ( http://www.bobmarleyforever.com )
• Christian site critical of Marley's Rasta beliefs  ( http://www.av1611.org/crock/pod_rast.html )

Bibliography

Timothy White. Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley. Owl Books (NY), 1998.

Filmography

Rebel Music: The Bob Marley Story

Roots reggae , Rastafarianism , Ras Tafari , Jamaican English , Amharic , Ethiopia , List of reggae musicians .

Registration

Biography: Bob Marley

Early life and career, rise to international fame.

Bob Marley, the Jamaican musician, guitarist, and "King of Reggae," holds an exceptional place in the history of reggae. This is not only because he stood at its origins, but primarily due to Marley's unique talent, which combined musical giftedness with religious ecstasy. To truly understand Marley's music, one must have at least a basic understanding of the history of the Rastafarian movement (a brief history of Rastafarianism is provided at the end of this narrative). His songs cannot be perceived as simple parts of pop culture, and listening to them as spiritual hymns without considering his mystical experiences would be a mistake. In essence, someone who listens to Marley's songs without their context risks seeing him as just another political anarchist among the rebellious youth of the 60s, while he was primarily a spiritual leader and visionary, unmatched even by today's rock and roll. Many have tried to explain the charm of Marley's music simply by acknowledging his talent. However, the answer lies elsewhere: Marley had a rare gift of adequately conveying universal truth, which only religion can provide, while astonishingly balancing between composing "church hymns" and adhering to purely aesthetic canons. His music was earthly but not secular; he was a medium, which explains the presence of eternal laws in his work, giving it strength and allure. Additionally, Marley possessed an incredible plastic rhythmic talent, the ability to place words in their rightful place. Listen to the song "War" from the album "Rastaman Vibrations" - it is impossible to perceive from hearing alone that he is performing a prosaic text. This absolute musicality allowed him to perform any composition, whether his own or someone else's, in the only possible way; any subsequent attempts at cover versions are met with complete exhaustion of interpretations. The history of pop culture, and perhaps even contemporary history in general, does not know of any other case where a person during their lifetime had a reputation equivalent to that of Bob Marley - not in terms of the number of fans, but in terms of the seriousness of his impact. He was a legend of an entire nation, a figure of national scale, and a living prophet - not figuratively, like Jim Morrison, but literally. This is who Bob Marley was and remains to this day. The honors bestowed upon him after his death are comparable to royal ones, and the influence he had on minds and souls during his lifetime was almost biblical.

Robert Nesta Marley was born on February 6, 1945, in a small town in northern Jamaica. His mother, Cedella Booker, was an eighteen-year-old black woman, and his father was a fifty-year-old white sailor named Norval Marley. In the traditional sense, Bob did not have a family, as his father rarely appeared, although he provided financial support to his mother.

In the early 1960s, Bob and his mother moved to the capital of Jamaica, Kingston, and settled in Trenchtown, like many others in similar circumstances. Here, young Bob made friends with other children from impoverished families, and they spent their time listening to the radio, which played the newly born rock and roll music. Bob dropped out of school and found work in a welding workshop, while spending his free time singing songs and practicing his vocal cords. He received vocal lessons from the famous Kingston singer Joe Higgs, who gave him a few lessons in the backyard of his house. In 1962, Bob and his friends Bunny Livingston and Peter Tosh auditioned for local entrepreneur Leslie Kong, who recorded several tracks with them. The following year, Bob formed a group with his friends and named it "The Wailing Wailers." The name was not ironic, but rather stemmed from the traditions of mourning, which are strong in any African culture.

During this time, ska, the Jamaican variant of New Orleans rhythm and blues, was popular, and large acoustic systems were set up on the streets of Kingston (reggae enthusiasts claim that it was this form of street music that led to the development of raves). Marley and his group, who performed popular music, quickly gained recognition and became an island celebrity within the next five years.

The year 1966 was pivotal in Marley's life. He got married, visited America where his remarried mother lived, and formed an impression of Babylon, as Rastafarians referred to America. He returned to Kingston, where Emperor Haile Selassie I, the incarnation of the Almighty Jah - the Rastafarian God, had visited six months earlier. The Rastafarian movement was on the rise at this time, and Marley became its voice. Thus, reggae was born.

Until the early 1970s, The Wailers were practically unknown outside of Jamaica. After unsuccessful attempts to sign a contract with several companies, Marley found himself on the doorstep of the now-famous Island Records. The founder of the studio, Chris Blackwell, initially focused on promoting Jamaican music and, after establishing himself in London in 1962, popularized ska, rocksteady, and reggae in the Old World, as well as pioneering prog-rock bands like Jethro Tull and King Crimson. Familiar with Marley's reputation in his homeland, Blackwell offered him an unprecedented contract for a reggae group: equal terms with rock bands. Marley's first album on Island, "Catch a Fire," immediately set new standards in popular music. Newspapers wrote about the emergence of a new, completely unique style, a new rhythm and melody combined with unusual, religious-protestant themed lyrics. From this moment on, Marley's group gained international fame.

In 1973, The Wailers were invited to open for Sly & The Family Stone, the number one group among black American musicians. However, they were soon removed from the tour because the audience embraced them more warmly than the headliners.

Over the next three years, Marley became a true star, and his songs became anthems for the struggle for racial equality. An incident that occurred on December 5, 1976, in Kingston demonstrates the real political weight of his words. At that time, the city was embroiled in a real war in the ghettos, and Marley, whose authority was unquestionable, decided to hold a free concert to call for peace among the residents. The government, however, scheduled parliamentary elections to take place just two weeks after the concert.

The night before the concert, several individuals broke into Marley's house and opened fire. Marley and three members of his group were injured, but the concert was not canceled, only shortened. Marley took the stage and performed a few songs.

For the next four years, Marley lived alternately in England and America, though most of the time he was on tour. The group frequently visited Africa: in 1980, the government of newly liberated Zimbabwe invited The Wailers to participate in the celebration of Independence Day, recognizing Marley's contributions to third world countries. Two years earlier, the Prime Minister of Jamaica and the leader of the opposition attended one of his concerts. In the same year, the United Nations awarded him the Peace Medal.

In 1980, Marley's health deteriorated rapidly. Three years prior, while playing football, he injured his toe, which developed into a malignant tumor. He had rejected amputation due to religious beliefs. Now, he had to seek treatment at a clinic in Bavaria as the disease had spread to his brain. However, the treatment was unsuccessful, and in early May 1981, Marley, realizing he was dying, asked to be taken back to his homeland. Unfortunately, he did not make it and died in a hospital in Miami on May 11, 1981.

The day of his funeral, according to eyewitnesses, was the most mournful day in the modern history of Jamaica. The country declared a national mourning. All leaders of the ruling party and the opposition attended the funeral ceremony. Marley's body was transported to his birthplace and laid to rest in a mausoleum. He was only 36 years old. A month before his death, he was awarded the Order of Merit, a government award recognizing his outstanding contributions to the country's cultural life. Marley left behind a huge number of fans and followers and a large catalog of songs. But most importantly, he left behind a message, a call to "free your mind from anger and awaken to life." And perhaps, only in his case, these worn-out words, often used by rockers, do not seem banal.

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