Bob Marley was the first Jamaican superstar, and he propelled Jamaican reggae into the international arena.
Bob Marley almost singlehandedly made reggae an internationally popular musical style. With his magical songwriting skills, he succeeded in making its complex rhythms accessible to white listeners while retaining enormous credibility with black audiences. By the 1990s, the music was firmly absorbed into rock’s rich tapestry.
Jamaican singer and guitarist Marley, who was born on February 6, 1945, began his recording career in 1964. Backed by his band, the Wailers, he quickly became the chief recording artist on his home island, securing a string of local hits in the mid-1960s with the help of legendary producer Coxsone Dodd. Marley’s innate talent was eventually spotted by Chris Blackwell, owner of Britain’s Island Records, who signed the singer to the label in 1972. Blackwell believed that Marley and the Wailers could perform the difficult task of introducing reggae to the world rock audience—and he was right.
Bob Marley was the first Jamaican superstar, and he propelled Jamaican reggae into the international arena.
The Wailers saw their reputation grow steadily during the decade. There were many standout albums, most notably Catch a Fire (1973) and the 1975 Live! set. Marley’s Jamaican argot and the exotic twists and turns of reggae gave the Wailers’ records a sound unlike anything most non-Jamaicans had heard before. On his mellow songs, tensions and anxieties were massaged away by his smooth blend of singing and playing. Other songs, however, were angry declarations of the need for black equality. Albums such as Rastaman Vibrations (1976), Exodus (1977), and Kaya (1978) crystallised the Bob Marley sound. A Rastafarian from the late 1960s onward, his religious beliefs permeated his music, as did his heavy use of kaya—marijuana.
By 1980 Marley and the Wailers were widely popular in Europe, but less so in the U.S. The time was right to attempt a breakthrough Stateside. But on the second day of a U.S. tour, beginning at Madison Square Garden, Marley collapsed while jogging in Central Park. Cancer was diagnosed. Eight months later, Marley was dead, buried with full honours in Jamaica. Legend, a posthumous collection of his work, became the biggest-selling reggae album ever.
As well as giving reggae music a place on the world stage, Bob Marley also helped to galvanise rock. In the 1970s, his music offered many white artists, such as Eric Clapton, a fresh outlet at a time when rock music was beginning to lumber too far away from its black roots. Without Marley, reggae might still be a minority interest in Europe and America. His charisma and imagination broke through barriers, and added a new musical dimension to millions of listeners.
Graham McColl
SEE ALSO:
BLUES; CARIBBEAN; CREAM; RECORD COMPANIES; REGGAE; ROCK MUSIC; STING.
Booker, C., and A. Winkler. Bob Marley: An Intimate Portrait by His Mother (London: Viking, 1996);
Davis, Stephen. Bob Marley: Conquering Lion of Reggae (New York: Doubleday, 1985).
Catch a Fire; Exodus; Kaya; Legend; Live at the Lyceum!; Rastaman Vibrations.