Most remember Bob Marley as an uncompromising artist and an outspoken radical. He was also a national icon in Jamaica and the leader of a band whose concerts filled arenas around the world. Those closest to him knew the country boy who grew up in Kingston’s toughest neighborhoods. For musicians who followed in his footsteps, he was a masterful lyricist able to poetically describe life’s complications in vivid detail. He was also an expressive dancer, thoughtful theologian, and even a talented soccer player. Today, the mythology of Bob Marley has grown so large that it almost overshadows the person it is meant to honor. But for those who knew him best, Marley—the human being—was worthy of the recognition, and of living on as a symbol. He was that special. This is his story.
MORE THAN SINGER • EVERYONE KNOWS BOB MARLEY’S NAME—BUT WHO WAS HE AS A PERSON?
ISLAND SON • TO APPRECIATE BOB MARLEY WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE OF HIS NATIVE JAMAICA
THE HISTORY OF REGGAE • THE ORIGINS AND PIONEERS OF THE MUSIC MOST ASSOCIATED WITH BOB MARLEY
THE WAILERS • MARLEY FIRST MADE HIS MUSICAL MARK AS PART OF A GROUP
TEN CLASSICS • THE STORIES BEHIND SOME OF MARLEY’S BEST-LOVED SONGS
THE BELIEVER • MARLEY’S SPIRITUALITY AND THE PRINCIPLES OF RASTAFARIANISM
THE LEADER • THE HEART AND SOUL OF MARLEY’S MUSIC WAS A PLEA FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
GONE TOO SOON • MARLEY’S DEATH IN 1981 AT AGE 36 WAS UNTIMELY—BUT HE LEFT THE WORLD ON HIS OWN TERMS
THE LEGACY • MARLEY’S VAST INFLUENCE CONTINUES TO LIVE ON WITH HIS NAME
The Life & Legacy of Bob Marley
PHOTO CREDITS
