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Bob Marley was born on February 6,
1945 in Saint Ann, Jamaica. He was born to Cedella Malcolm Marley
when she was only 19 years old. His dad, Robert Nesta Marley, was a
white man more than two times Cedella's age. He only married her to
make the birth legitimate. Marley married Rita Anderson , and they
had one child, Ziggy Marley. Bob Marley was considered the "first third world superstar." He started recording in the 1960's. In 1964, he became the founding member of The Wailing Wailers. The Wailers was made up of Bob Marley, Peter McIntosh, and Bunny Livingston. They were one of Jamaica's hottest bands. Marley moved to the U.S. with his mom, and that was the temporary ending to the Wailers. By the end of the sixties, Bob Marley went back to Jamaica and back to the Wailers. Marley's religion was Rastafari, and that was the center of most of the Wailer's music. In 1970, Aston Barret and his brother Carlton joined the band as the bass and drums. The band's reputation was HUGE throughout the entire caribean, but they still weren't international. In 1972, they signed to Island Records. Their first record, Catch A Fire, was the beginning of their international fame. A year later, they recorded their album, Burnin'. In 1975, they recorded the Natty Dread album and toured Europe. In 1976, their album Rastaman Vibration entered into the U.S. charts. In '77, they released Exodus, and that was the start to their international stardom. Also in 1976, Bob Marley left Jamaica after a shooting that almost took his life. Two years later, he returned to Jamaica to play in the One Love Peace Concert in front of Prime Minister Michael Manley. Later that year, he visited Africa for the first time. In 1979, he toured Europe. Then he visited Africa again to play at Zimbabwe's Independence Ceremony. That performance really stressed the Wailer's importance in third world countries. After the tour, they went to America. The Wailers played two shows in Madison Square Garden, but afterwards, Marley became seriously ill. Then, we was diagnosed with cancer. He fought cancer for 8 months. He died in a Miami hospital on May 11, 1981. A month before dying, Bob Marley was awarded Jamaica's Order of Merit, the 3rd highest award. On May 23, 1981, he was given an official funeral by the Jamaican people. After the funeral, Marley's body was taken to his birthplace in Saint Ann, Jamaica to rest in a burial vault. He dies at only 36 years old, but his legend will definitely live on forever. |
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