He began recording in 1962, debuting on a ska-tempoed song called "Judge Not".  Looking back, it seems very fitting that the song's lyrics were firmly routed in a moral and social dimension. He formed a vocal trio with some childhood friends, Neville "Bunny" Livingston (later Bunny Wailer) and Peter McIntosh (later Peter Tosh). They took the name the Wailers because they were ghetto sufferers who'd been born "wailing." As practicing Rastas, they grew their hair in dreadlocks and smoked ganja, believing it to be a sacred herb that brought enlightenment.

1973's Catch a Fire, the Wailers' Island debut, was the first of their albums released outside of Jamaica, and immediately earned worldwide acclaim; the follow-up, Burnin', launched the track "I Shot the Sheriff, " a Top Ten hit for Eric Clapton in 1974. With the Wailers poised for stardom, however, both Bunny Livingstone and Peter Tosh quit the group to pursue solo careers; Bob then brought in the I-Threes, which in addition to Rita Marley consisted of singers Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt. The new line-up proceeded to tour the world prior to releasing their 1975 breakthrough album Natty Dread, scoring their first UK Top 40 hit with the classic "No Woman, No Cry." Sellout shows at the London Lyceum, where Marley played to racially-mixed crowds, yielded the superb Live! later that year, and with the success of 1976's Rastaman Vibration, which hit the Top Ten in the U.S., it became increasingly clear that his music had carved its own niche within the pop mainstream.

Bob Marley's musical impact and spiritual message spreads around the globe and continues to expand. In his homeland of Jamaica he is a National Hero and the government that is often very tough on the youth and the rastas and even feared the power of Marley, have honored his life and works with two Jamaican postage stamps. Not only was Marley a key figure in maintaining peace in his homeland at several crucial times during his life, he also has been as important as the country's largest banks and corporations in supporting Jamaica's position in the world economic community. Robert Nesta Marley's life and works continue to spread the joy of the riddum and life, the message of inity and overstanding and a continually blossoming prosperity.

Marley family photo - Bob, Rita, Sharon (oldest), Cedella (3 yrs younger than Sharon), David (ZIGGY) (a year younger than Cedella), and, in the baby carriage is Steven (6 years younger than Ziggy).

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The cover of the Kaya Tour Program and a shot from the program including a Ras John ticket stub from June 17, 1978 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The two color photos at the top of the page are Ras John photos from this show.

Marley Story Part One  Marley Story Part Two   Bob Marley Feature - R&R Hall of Fame   Marley Feature Part Four (Roger Steffens Chronology)  Perry Henzel's Interview with Bob     Bob Marley - LEGEND LIVE  Reggae Road Bob Marley Main Page  
The Boy From Nine Mile