Music

Bob Marley was the world’s first reggae superstar and was considered to be a reggae hero. At age sixteen Bob released his first song called “Judge Not”. Four years later then was part of a Jamaican music group he formed called The Wailers with Bunny Livingstone and Peter McIntosh in which the music mostly written by Bob brought attention to the Rastafarian culture through different hit records. They started out with hit singles just in the Caribbean before eventually becoming popular in the United States. By 1976, reggae fever had swept the United States. Rolling Stone magazine named Bob Marley and the Wailers the “Band of the Year’ and Rastaman Vibration’ rose to the top of the charts.  Further along in his career Bob gained individual fame internationally through songs that he made that dealt with politics, religion, life on the streets and standing up for what you believe in.  He made songs that appealed to all types of people and advocated for peace. The song “Get Up, Stand Up” is considered to be an anthem of Bob Marley which is a song that is “basically about the fight for acceptance of their Rastafarian religion and the need to take action to avoid oppression. A greatest hits compilation titled "Legend" was released in 1984; it sold millions and earned a reputation as the one reggae album owned by people who own just one reggae album.

Albums Released:

Souls Rebels (1970) -- The beginning of a new era for the Wailers

Catch a Fire (1973) – Major label debut for Bob Marley and the Wailers

African Herbsman (1973)

Natty Dread (1974)

Bob Marley and The Wailers Live! (1975) – International performances captured

Rastaman Vibration (1976) – recorded in Jamaica after completing tour

Exodus (1977) – Recorded in London after assassination attempt

Babylon by Bus (1978) – Bob Marley and the Wailers during the European part of their Kaya tour

Kaya (1978) – Evolution of Bob Marley and the Wailers

Survival (1979) – expresses solidarity of Africa and humanity at large

Uprising (1980) – Final studio album of Bob Marley

Confrontation (1983) – collection of work left behind by Bob upon his death

Legend (1984) – the greatest hits collection of Bob Marley and the Wailers

Rebel Music (1986) – a collection of Bob Marley’s songs that speaks about the oppressed masses and calls for justice

Talkin’ Blues (1991) – Seven tracks taken from the Wailers’ radio broadcast in San Francisco

Songs of Freedom (1992) – unreleased and extended versions of hit singles

One Love (2001) – twenty track collection

Africa Unite (2005) – includes songs on Legend and songs recorded before signed to a record label

B is for Bob (2009) – a collection of original Bob Marley songs re-imagined for kids

            Bob Marley’s career started in a group called The Wailers. The group formed in 1963 when Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh recruited two brothers from The Upsetters, bass guitar player Aston “Family Man” Barrett and drummer Carlton “Carlie” Barrett. This group was the pioneer to roots reggae inspired by the Rastafarian movement. The Wailers were signed to Island Records in 1971. Bunny and Peter left two years later to have their own successful solo careers. The name Wailers came from the Barrett brothers and the rhythms they made in different reggae hits. Aston became the musical leader of The Wailers and partnered with Bob Marley on hit singles and albums. This formed the name of group to Bob Marley and The Wailers. On May 11, 1981 Bob Marley died and in 1987 Carlie died. Their music has sold in excess of 250 million albums worldwide. In England alone, they’ve notched up over twenty chart hits, including seven Top 10 entries. This was no accident. Apart from Marley, the Wailers have performed with international acts such as Sting, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, as well as reggae legends Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Burning Spear. Their most recent collaborators include Kenny Chesney, Eve, Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. They’ve also completed innumerable tours over the years, playing to an estimated 24 million people across the globe, including groundbreaking performances in Africa and the Far East. Koolant joined the Wailers after starring in the movie Made In Jamaica as their new lead singer. Koolant was also born and raised in Jamaica like Bob Marley and as a boy he was inspired to sing in school. He had local fame but his performances with the Wailers are what really gained him attention. Although he was young coming up, Koolant rarely listened to newer artists. He listened mostly to classic reggae artists such as Bob Marley. As enthusiastic audiences have already discovered, Koolant brings his own personal expression to Marley’s songs, revitalizing them for young and old alike. Yet there’s a great deal more to the Wailers than reliving the past. Apart from featuring on a forthcoming Wailers’ album studded with celebrity guest artists, Koolant sings lead vocals on the band’s two latest tracks – one a future lovers’ rock classic called Shining Star, and the other a heartfelt appeal – A Step For Mankind – made on behalf of the World Food Program, co-starring Duane Stephenson.

Although Bob Marley died his legacy still lives through his music and his children. His children also took on the path of a musical career. One group formed by some of his children is the Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers once known as just the Melody Makers. It included his children Ziggy Marley, Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, and Stephen Marley. They are a Jamaican reggae group that formed in 1979. They formed the group at the request of their father, Bob Marley but they developed their own vision after his death. They have similar desires of Bob Marley to bring people together through music. The very first single the Melody Makers recorded was a track called “Children Playing in the Streets” composed by Bob Marley in 1975 in dedication to his children. His children then decided to share the song with other children around the world. All profits made from that track went towards the United Nations to aid efforts during the International Year of the Child. In 1981 they released their second single called “What a Plot” which appeared on their father’s record label Tuff Gong. In 1984, The Melody Makers began recording with and English producer named Steve Levine in which they released a single called “Lying in Bed”. They released their first album Play the Game Right in 1985 with the help of the Barrett brothers, who were the rhythmists for the Wailers. In 1986, their second album Hey World was released and the group was now called Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. This album represented the group finding their own voice rather than trying to resemble Bob Marley. By 1988 Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers reached significant popularity and were signed to the international label Virgin Records. They then recorded their third album called the Conscious Party. The album charted at #23 on the Billboard 200 and at #26 on the R&B Albums chart. The album received a Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". The Melody Makers' follow-up album "One Bright Day", released in 1989. The album charted at #26 on the Billboard 200 and at #43 on the R&B Albums chart. The album received a Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". Later albums included Jahmekya, Joys and Blues, Free Like We Want 2 B, Fallen is Babylon, the Spirit of Music and Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers Live, Vol. 1. In 1997 and 2000 the group performed at tribute concerts to Bob Marley, one being called “Marley Magic Live” and the other “One Love All Star Tribute Concert”.