Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley,
OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican reggae singer, song writer, 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 would later resonate with audiences worldwide. The Wailers would go on to release some of the earliest reggae records with producer Lee Scratch Perry.
After the Wailers disbanded in 1974, Marley pursued a solo career upon his relocation to England that culminated in the release of the album Exodus in 1977, which established his worldwide reputation and produced his status as one of the world's best-selling artists of all time, with sales of more than 75 million records. Exodus stayed on the British album charts for fifty-six consecutive weeks. It included four UK hit singles: "Exodus", "Waiting in Vain", "Jamming", and "One Love". In 1978 he released the album Kaya, which included the hit singles "Is This Love" and "Satisfy My Soul".
Diagnosed with a type of malignant melanoma in 1977, Marley died on 11 May 1981 in Miami at the age of 36. He was a committed Rastafarian who infused his music with a sense of spirituality. He is considered one of the most influential musicians of all time and credited with popularizing reggae music around the world, as well as serving as a symbol of Jamaican culture and identity. Marley has also evolved into a global symbol, which has been endlessly merchandised through a variety of mediums.
OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican reggae singer, song writer, 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 would later resonate with audiences worldwide. The Wailers would go on to release some of the earliest reggae records with producer Lee Scratch Perry.
After the Wailers disbanded in 1974, Marley pursued a solo career upon his relocation to England that culminated in the release of the album Exodus in 1977, which established his worldwide reputation and produced his status as one of the world's best-selling artists of all time, with sales of more than 75 million records. Exodus stayed on the British album charts for fifty-six consecutive weeks. It included four UK hit singles: "Exodus", "Waiting in Vain", "Jamming", and "One Love". In 1978 he released the album Kaya, which included the hit singles "Is This Love" and "Satisfy My Soul".
Diagnosed with a type of malignant melanoma in 1977, Marley died on 11 May 1981 in Miami at the age of 36. He was a committed Rastafarian who infused his music with a sense of spirituality. He is considered one of the most influential musicians of all time and credited with popularizing reggae music around the world, as well as serving as a symbol of Jamaican culture and identity. Marley has also evolved into a global symbol, which has been endlessly merchandised through a variety of mediums.
Bob's Father
Norval Sinclair Marley was a Jamaican of English descent, notable for being the father of the reggae artist Bob Marley. Marley was born in Jamaica to Albert Thomas Marley, an Englishman who was from Sussex, England, and Ellen Broomfield. Born: 1885, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica Died: 1957 Spouse: Cedella Marley-Booker (m. 1944–1955) Children: Bob Marley Parents:
Ellen Broomfield, Albert Thomas Marley.
Ellen Broomfield, Albert Thomas Marley.
Bob's Mother
Booker was born Sidilla Editha Malcolm in Rhoden Hall, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica, to Albertha Whilby and Omeriah Malcolm,
a farmer, a "bush doctor", and one of the most respected residents of Nine Mile (son of Robert "Uncle Day" Malcolm, who
descended from the Cromanty slaves shipped to Jamaica from the African Gold Coast in the late seventeenth and
early eighteenth centuries). At 18, Cedella Malcolm married Norval Sinclair Marley, a White Jamaican of
English ancestry, when she became pregnant with his son, Robert Nesta (which
second given name "Nesta" means prophetically "wise messenger").Norval Marley
was an officer as well as the plantation overseer. His family applied constant
pressure however, and although he provided financial support for them, the
Captain seldom saw his wife and son. Bob
was ten years old when Norval died of a heart attack in 1955 at age 70.
Cedella and Bob then moved to Trenchtown, a slum neighborhood in Kingston. This was the only place Booker could
afford to live at the time, being a young woman moving from the country to the
big city on her own.
While living in Trenchtown, Booker gave birth to a daughter, Pearl, with
Taddeus Livingston, the father of Bunny Livingston – aka Bunny
Wailer – who formed the original Wailers
trio with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh in 1963.
Cedella then married Edward Booker, an American civil servant, and resided
first in Delaware, where she gave birth to two more sons,
Richard and Anthony, with Booker. Anthony was killed in a shootout with Miami police after walking through a shopping
mall with a 12 gauge shotgun and opening fire on responding police; Richard Booker
survives her. After Edward Booker's death in 1976, Cedella moved to Miami, Florida, where she was present at the deathbed of
her famous son who died from cancer in 1981. Booker lived in Miami for the remainder of her life.
Cedella Marley Booker died at the age of 81 in Miami, Florida on April 8,2008
a farmer, a "bush doctor", and one of the most respected residents of Nine Mile (son of Robert "Uncle Day" Malcolm, who
descended from the Cromanty slaves shipped to Jamaica from the African Gold Coast in the late seventeenth and
early eighteenth centuries). At 18, Cedella Malcolm married Norval Sinclair Marley, a White Jamaican of
English ancestry, when she became pregnant with his son, Robert Nesta (which
second given name "Nesta" means prophetically "wise messenger").Norval Marley
was an officer as well as the plantation overseer. His family applied constant
pressure however, and although he provided financial support for them, the
Captain seldom saw his wife and son. Bob
was ten years old when Norval died of a heart attack in 1955 at age 70.
Cedella and Bob then moved to Trenchtown, a slum neighborhood in Kingston. This was the only place Booker could
afford to live at the time, being a young woman moving from the country to the
big city on her own.
While living in Trenchtown, Booker gave birth to a daughter, Pearl, with
Taddeus Livingston, the father of Bunny Livingston – aka Bunny
Wailer – who formed the original Wailers
trio with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh in 1963.
Cedella then married Edward Booker, an American civil servant, and resided
first in Delaware, where she gave birth to two more sons,
Richard and Anthony, with Booker. Anthony was killed in a shootout with Miami police after walking through a shopping
mall with a 12 gauge shotgun and opening fire on responding police; Richard Booker
survives her. After Edward Booker's death in 1976, Cedella moved to Miami, Florida, where she was present at the deathbed of
her famous son who died from cancer in 1981. Booker lived in Miami for the remainder of her life.
Cedella Marley Booker died at the age of 81 in Miami, Florida on April 8,2008
Peace Concert
The One Love Peace Concert, was a large concert held on April 22, 1978 at The National Stadium in
Kingston, Jamaica.
This concert was held during a political civil war in Jamaica between opposing parties Jamaican Labour Party and the People's National Party. The concert came to its peak during Bob Marley & The Wailers' performance of "Jammin'", when Marley joined the hands of political rivals Michael Manley (PNP) and Edward Seaga (JLP).
Since he was elected Prime Minister of Jamaica in 1972, Michael Manley pursued a socialist agenda intended to redistribute wealth by nationalizing the country's major export industries. His agenda proved to be financially unsustainable, as his policies deterred foreign investment in Jamaica. Beginning in 1974, he was opposed by the more conservative Edward Seaga of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and the two politicians hired local gangsters to help them increase their hold on power.
Ironically, the idea for the One Love Peace Concert came from two such gangsters from rival political factions, who happened to be locked up in the same jail cell together and who both wanted to alleviate the violence. Claudius 'Claudie' Massop (JLP) and Aston 'Bucky' Marshall (PNP) decided that the best means to bring the country together was to use music as a uniting factor and organize a major concert. Quickly realizing that Bob Marley, living in exile in London, was a critical element upon which their success depended, Massop flew to London after being released from jail to convince Marley to perform at the event. Marley accepted the invitation, and the concert was Marley’s first performance in Jamaica since he was almost assassinated there in 1976.
Kingston, Jamaica.
This concert was held during a political civil war in Jamaica between opposing parties Jamaican Labour Party and the People's National Party. The concert came to its peak during Bob Marley & The Wailers' performance of "Jammin'", when Marley joined the hands of political rivals Michael Manley (PNP) and Edward Seaga (JLP).
Since he was elected Prime Minister of Jamaica in 1972, Michael Manley pursued a socialist agenda intended to redistribute wealth by nationalizing the country's major export industries. His agenda proved to be financially unsustainable, as his policies deterred foreign investment in Jamaica. Beginning in 1974, he was opposed by the more conservative Edward Seaga of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and the two politicians hired local gangsters to help them increase their hold on power.
Ironically, the idea for the One Love Peace Concert came from two such gangsters from rival political factions, who happened to be locked up in the same jail cell together and who both wanted to alleviate the violence. Claudius 'Claudie' Massop (JLP) and Aston 'Bucky' Marshall (PNP) decided that the best means to bring the country together was to use music as a uniting factor and organize a major concert. Quickly realizing that Bob Marley, living in exile in London, was a critical element upon which their success depended, Massop flew to London after being released from jail to convince Marley to perform at the event. Marley accepted the invitation, and the concert was Marley’s first performance in Jamaica since he was almost assassinated there in 1976.
On December 3, 1976,
An assassination attempt was made on Bob’s life.
The incident came two days before the now-infamous ‘Smile Jamaica,' a free concert Bob agreed to play in the hopes of quelling tensions between Jamaica’s rivaling political parties. While Marley and The Wailers were rehearsing at his 56 Hope Road residence, an unnamed gunman shot and wounded Rita Marley, manager Don Taylor, and Bob, who was grazed in the chest by a ricocheted bullet that ended up in his elbow; miraculously, no one was killed. Despite everything, Marley performed as planned, and the incident became his inspiration for........
“Ambush In The Night.”