Bob Marley is about as big an icon as you can get. He not only crossed musical genre, taking reggae to a mainstream audience, but background and popular culture. Many began to associate his sound with peace and love as these were the messages he was trying to convey both personally and through his music. He had a huge influence in his musical heyday in the 60s and 70s with his band, "The Wailers" but it is present today as it ever was.
His band was formed in 1963 then called "The Teenagers" and in fact underwent several name changes before sticking with "The Wailers". Three years later, the band reduced in size and in the same year, Marley married Rita Anderson. He worked at several jobs for a while until he returned to Jamaica where he became actively involved with the Rastafarian religious movement and we first saw the iconic dreadlocks.
The Wailers returned in 1973 but the reunion was short-lived after they broke up just one year later. However, partly due to Eric Clapton's successful cover version of "I Shot the Sheriff", Marley's music enjoyed a renaissance and he continued to record as a solo artist.
"The Wailers" became "Bob Marley & the Wailers" largely due to Marley's increasing iconic status. In 1975, the band recorded their most successful hit, "No Woman No Cry" which was a very personal song for Marley. Further success ensued with albums such as Exodus and Babylon By Bus.
The legend of Bob Marley grew and grew as he became synonymous with not just popular music, not just reggae but the things that mattered the most to him, peace and spirituality. He was very involved with trying to establish peace in the politically troubled, Jamaica. In 1994, he was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame and his memory lives on in the minds and hearts of those who stand for peace in a modern world.
His band was formed in 1963 then called "The Teenagers" and in fact underwent several name changes before sticking with "The Wailers". Three years later, the band reduced in size and in the same year, Marley married Rita Anderson. He worked at several jobs for a while until he returned to Jamaica where he became actively involved with the Rastafarian religious movement and we first saw the iconic dreadlocks.
The Wailers returned in 1973 but the reunion was short-lived after they broke up just one year later. However, partly due to Eric Clapton's successful cover version of "I Shot the Sheriff", Marley's music enjoyed a renaissance and he continued to record as a solo artist.
"The Wailers" became "Bob Marley & the Wailers" largely due to Marley's increasing iconic status. In 1975, the band recorded their most successful hit, "No Woman No Cry" which was a very personal song for Marley. Further success ensued with albums such as Exodus and Babylon By Bus.
The legend of Bob Marley grew and grew as he became synonymous with not just popular music, not just reggae but the things that mattered the most to him, peace and spirituality. He was very involved with trying to establish peace in the politically troubled, Jamaica. In 1994, he was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame and his memory lives on in the minds and hearts of those who stand for peace in a modern world.