Bob Marley was a hero figure, in the classic mythological sense. His departure from this planet came at a point when his vision of One World, One Love inspired by his belief in Rastafari was beginning to be heard and felt. The last Bob Marley and the Wailers tour in 1980 attracted the largest audiences at that time for any musical act in Europe. And his audience continues, in the Third World his impact goes much further. Not just among Jamaicans, but also the Hopi Indians of New Mexico and the Maoris of New Zealand. In Indonesia and India and especially in those parts of West Africa from which slaves were plucked and taken to the New World. Bob is seen as a redeemer figure.

Born Robert Nesta Marley on February 6, 1945 in Nine Miles, (St.Ann) Jamaica, Bob was destined for superstardom. His father Norval Sinclair Marley was an English marine-officer and his mother Cedella ‘Ciddy’ Malcom was a native Jamaican who lived in Rhoden Hall. After Bob was born, his father left his mother. A couple of years later Bob and his mother moved to Trench Town (West-Kingston) because his mother was looking for a job. Bob loved the fast life in the big city and it was here he got his nickname Tuff Gong. It was because of his ability to talk his way out of trouble with the local bullies. Bob spent his best years in Trenchtown, a government-housing scheme in West Kingston. It was in Trenchtown where Bob was first exposed to Rastafari.
Bob spent most of his time with his friend Bunny Livingston. They often went together to Joe Higgs’s (a famous singer in Kingston) music class, and it was there that they met Peter McIntosh. In 1962 Bob auditioned for Leslie Kong, who took the young singer into the studio to record his first single “Judge Not”. The following year Bob formed the Wailing Wailers together with Peter and Bunny. They were introduced to Clement Dodd, a producer of the record company Coxsone. On this label the Wailing Wailers released their first single, "Simmer Down”, which created a big sensation in Jamaica. By this time three more members had joined the group: Junior Braithwaite, Beverly Kelso and Cherry Smith. The Wailing Wailers began recording regularly and released some music that established the group in Jamaica. When Junior, Beverly and Cherry left the Wailers were back to the original trio.

Around that time, Bob joined his mother in the United States, but just before he left he married Rita Anderson. In America he worked just enough to be able to finance his music and then he returned to Jamaica. When Bob came back, he, Bunny and Peter reformed the group as the Wailers. And when they met Lee Perry, the group got back on their feet again. Lee Perry and the Wailers produced great tracks like “Soul Rebel”, “Duppy Conqueror”, “400 years” and “Small Axe”.

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