"There's a beautiful thing about music: when it hits you, you don't feel pain." These are the words of the great singer, musician and composer Bob Marley. During his short life, Bob Marley managed to earn the title of the best reggae singer.
The artist's songs are known by heart by all his fans. Bob Marley became the "father" of the musical direction of reggae. It was thanks to his efforts that the whole world learned about this musical genre.
Today, Marley's face flaunts on T-shirts, caps and outerwear. Almost every country has a wall with a picture of their favorite musician. Bob Marley was, is and will be the most popular and famous performer of reggae tracks.
Childhood and youth of Bob Marley
Surely, many people know that Bob Marley comes from Jamaica. His real name is Robert Nesta Marley. He was born into an ordinary family. His father was a military man, and his mother was a housewife for a long time. Marley recalls that he hardly saw his father, as he had to work very hard. At the age of 10, Bob lost his dad. The child was raised by the mother.
The boy went to a regular school. He could not be called an exemplary student. Bob, in principle, was not drawn to science and knowledge. After leaving school, Bob Marley becomes a handyman. He had to work to at least somehow support his mother.
At a young age, Marley joins the ore-fighting subculture. Rude-boys promote aggressive behavior and romanticize crime. Not the best start for a young man, but as Marley himself admitted, he lost his mentor in life at the age of 10. Rude-boys wore short haircuts, as well as tailored items from costume fabric.
But if it weren't for the ore-boy subculture, then perhaps we wouldn't have heard of a singer like Bob Marley. Rude-boys visited local discos, where they danced to ska (one of the directions of Jamaican music). Bob Marley just fell in love with this music and started showing his creativity.
Bob Marley begins to actively delve into music. A little more, and his first fans will observe an interesting change - he will change his short haircut to long dreadlocks, wear loose clothes, and also begin to delight music lovers from all over the world with high-quality reggae, which will make you want to dream and relax.
The Beginning of Bob Marley's Musical Career
Bob Marley began to conduct his first musical experiments on his own. He did not really understand in which direction he needed to move, so the recorded tracks were raw. Then he, together with friends and like-minded people, organized the group “The Wailers”.
The peak of Bob Marley's popularity began with the musical group "The Wailers". This musical group brought the performer worldwide recognition and fame. At the beginning of his musical career, Bob Marley recorded singles and albums as part of a group. A little later, the singer transformed the group into his own project, which was called The Wailers and Bob Marley.
"The Wailers and Bob Marley" successfully toured all over the planet. They gave the brightest performances in the United States of America, Asia and Africa.
Discography of singer Bob Marley:
- 1970 - Soul Rebels
- 1971 – Soul Revolution
- 1971 – The Best of the Wailers
- 1973 - Catch a Fire
- 1973 - Burnin'
- 1974 - Natty Dread
- 1976 – Rastaman Vibration
- 1977 - Exodus
- 1978 - Kaya
- 1979 - Survival
- 1980 - Uprising
- 1983 - Confrontation (posthumously)
On the territory of the Soviet Union, the work of Bob Marley was also adored. However, the singer's musical works came to the USSR much later.
They passed the iron Soviet curtain, making an indelible impression on the inhabitants of the Soviet Union.
Bob Marley's musical compositions were constantly in the spotlight. The singer has repeatedly received recognition among music critics. Bob Marley's albums receive prestigious awards, and he himself becomes the owner of the title of "Best Singer".
Interestingly, the singer's work was to the taste of both the "golden youth" and the inhabitants of disadvantaged areas of the city of Jamaica. Bob Marley's songs were so "light" that they gave people the best, faith and all-forgiving and all-encompassing love.
The musical composition of Bob Marley "One love" has become a real anthem of Jamaica. The track literally brought together politicians and groups that turned Jamaica into a battlefield for their interests in Marley's time. The singer wrote the song at a time when he himself was assassinated.
In 1976, an unknown person shot at the performer. Bob Marley was upset but not broken. He did not cancel the concert, and appeared on stage. The first words that the singer uttered before the start of the performance sound like this: “There is too much evil in the world and I have no right to waste at least one day in vain.”
Interesting facts about the artist Bob Marley
- February 6th is Bob Marley's official day in Canada.
- Bob Marley had a serious relationship with Miss World 1976.
- His nickname was "White Boy". Bob's father, Norval Sinclair Marley, was a white British naval captain, while Bob's mother was a young Jamaican girl named Cedella.
- Marley became the founder of the TUFF GONG label, which still exists today.
- The second favorite pastime of the performer was football.
- In November 2014, Forbes magazine placed Marley on the list of the highest earning dead celebrities.
- Bob Marley's birthday is considered a national holiday in his homeland.
Interestingly, the sons of Bob Marley followed in the footsteps of their father. They continue the work of their father at full capacity. In terms of popularity, the musical compositions of young performers did not bypass the mentor's songs. However, journalists and admirers of Bob's work show interest in them.
Marley's personal life
In addition to music, Bob Marley was really very interested in sports. He was often told that if it were not for reggae, he would definitely devote his life to football. The love for the sport was so great that he gave it every free minute. We have to admit that the singer really had a penchant for football.
Rita became the official wife of Bob Marley. It is known that at the initial stage, his wife worked for Bob as a backing vocalist. Rita had a very beautiful voice, which captivated the young Marley. They decided to get married. The first years of family life were almost perfect. But the popularity of Bob Marley crippled their family a little. At the peak of his career, Bob is increasingly seen in the company of young girls.
The couple had sons and daughters. Interestingly, in addition to raising their own children, illegitimately born offspring fell on Rita. Bob Marley increasingly went to the side, and he recognized some children, so their family had to help the little ones.
Death of Bob Marley
In the last years of his life, Bob Marley suffered from a malignant tumor, which he received while playing his favorite sports game. The singer could have amputated his finger, but he refused. He, like a real rastaman, must die "whole." During the tour, Bob Marley died. It happened in May 1981.
The memory of Marley is still honored in different parts of the world. It was thanks to his international success that reggae gained wide popularity outside of Jamaica.
