Bob Marley

Birth name: Robert Nesta Marley
Date of birth: 6 February 1945
Died: 11 May 1981
Place of birth: Nine Mile, Jamaica
Career highlights: Awarded Peace Medal Of The Third World by the UN, 1978, Jamaica’s Order Of Merit, 1981, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 2001
Highest charting singles: Buffalo Soldier, number 4, 1983, Could You Be Loved, number five, 1980

Bob Marley is the world’s most famous reggae star and Rastafarian. The son of a white naval officer, from Sussex, and a black Jamaican woman, Bob suffered racism from both sides as a child. These experiences went on to influence his song writing, and Bob became known as a human rights activist.

He moved to Kingston’s Trenchtown district as a teenager, where he learnt self defence so he could stick up for himself. It was there he picked up the Tuff Gong moniker.

In 1963 he formed the ska-rock steady group The Wailers, and took the role of lead singer and songwriter. After some disputes, Bob joined forces with Lee “Scratch” Perry’s The Upsetters to make some of his best songs, including Soul Almighty and Small Axe.

When the Wailers finally disbanded altogether Bob carried on using the name and in 1975 had his first international hit with No Woman No Cry.

Marley moved to England in 1976 where he recorded the Exodus and Kaya albums. Exodus stayed in the UK album chart for 56 weeks and included hit singles Exodus, Waiting In Vain, Jamming and One Love.

In July 1977 the Tuff Gong was diagnosed with cancer. He refused to have it removed and the cancer spread. He died in Florida in 1981, aged 36.

In his short life he managed to sire 13 children, and built quite a reputation as a heartbreaker.