May 11, 1981and Reggae legend, Bob Marley died
News & Trends •
bob and his mother moved to the tough trenchtown area of kingstown when he was ten years old2 get up stand up stand up for your rights2 preacher man dont tell me2 heaven is under the earth2 i know you dont know2 what life is really worth2 its not all that glitters is gold2 alf the story has never been told2 so now you see the light eh2 stand up for your rights. come on2 the above excerpt from bob marleys song stand up get up could not have been more propitious any other time than nowin a world replete with human rights abuses racism poverty among others2 no doubt many reggae artists today draw their inspirations from the icon whose style of music continues to rub off on various genres of reggaeroots rub-a-dub ragamuffin dancehall lovers rock among others2 bob marley was the first third-world global superstar and the artist responsible for bringing reggae to mainstream audiences2 marleys unforgettable music alone would have earned him a place in music history but his status as a moral and religious compass to countless admirers and followers set him above many other such celebrities2 robert nesta marley was born on feb. 6 1945 in nine mile saint ann jamaica. his mother cedelia booker was an 18-year-old jamaican girl and his father the non-present norval sinclair marley was a much older white english sea captain2 get up stand up dont give up the fight2 music was already the focal point of bobs life by the early 1960s. he was recording and playing gigs with friends bunny wailer and peter tosh and they were enjoying moderate success in jamaica. marley was also writing original songs. johnny nash had a minor hit with bobs stir it up while eric clapton later had a much bigger one with i shot the sheriff2 success outside of jamaica for bob marley and the wailers as they were now styling themselves finally came in the mid-1970s with hits including no woman no cry exodus waiting in vain jamming and is this love2 but marley was much more than a rastafarian dylan writing catchy songs about the pressing issues of his times. during the late 70s jamaica was an island undergoing immense social and political upheaval2 bob used his considerable influence in an effort to promote peace and find a middle ground between rival political factions in his country. he was the victim of an assassination attempt for his troubles2 he traveled the world not only as a touring musician but also as a goodwill ambassador for jamaica and the rastafarian religion. in 1978 he made his first trip to ethiopia the spiritual home of rastafari and stayed on a settlement donated by emperor haile selassie i2 two years later bob marley and the wailers were invited to perform at the zimbabwe independence concert by the brand new nations brand new president. bobs song zimbabwe had been an anthem for the soon-to-be-ex-colony of rhodesia2 marley was a hero to countless africans and was seen as an inspirational and unifying figure2 in 1977 marley learned that he had a type of melanoma in one of his toes. his doctors recommended amputation but bob refused for religious reasons and instead simply had the toe nail and nail bed removed in hopes that would remove all the cancer. it didnt. the disease metastasized throughout his body2 in 1980 he agreed to seek a somewhat controversial treatment at the clinic of dr. josef issels in germany. issels combination therapy which has been labeled ineffective by the american cancer society was indeed ineffective in marleys case2 bob wanted to die at home in jamaica but the trip back was too much for him. he passed away in a miami hospital on may 11 19812 bob marleys death stopped jamaica in its tracks. he was awarded the countrys order of merit jamaicas third highest honor for outstanding contribution to his countrys culture2 the government provided him a state funeral ten days after his death as the honorable robert nesta marley o.m. with prime minister edward seaga and the opposition party leader michael manley in attendance2 the streets were lined with countless thousands of mourners who watched bobs funeral procession wind from kingston to marleys mausoleum in his birthplace of nine mile2 bob marley was laid to rest with a soccer ball his les paul guitar and a bud of marijuana2

May 11, 1981and Reggae legend, Bob Marley died
News & Trends •
bob and his mother moved to the tough trenchtown area of kingstown when he was ten years old2 get up stand up stand up for your rights2 preacher man dont tell me2 heaven is under the earth2 i know you dont know2 what life is really worth2 its not all that glitters is gold2 alf the story has never been told2 so now you see the light eh2 stand up for your rights. come on2 the above excerpt from bob marleys song stand up get up could not have been more propitious any other time than nowin a world replete with human rights abuses racism poverty among others2 no doubt many reggae artists today draw their inspirations from the icon whose style of music continues to rub off on various genres of reggaeroots rub-a-dub ragamuffin dancehall lovers rock among others2 bob marley was the first third-world global superstar and the artist responsible for bringing reggae to mainstream audiences2 marleys unforgettable music alone would have earned him a place in music history but his status as a moral and religious compass to countless admirers and followers set him above many other such celebrities2 robert nesta marley was born on feb. 6 1945 in nine mile saint ann jamaica. his mother cedelia booker was an 18-year-old jamaican girl and his father the non-present norval sinclair marley was a much older white english sea captain2 get up stand up dont give up the fight2 music was already the focal point of bobs life by the early 1960s. he was recording and playing gigs with friends bunny wailer and peter tosh and they were enjoying moderate success in jamaica. marley was also writing original songs. johnny nash had a minor hit with bobs stir it up while eric clapton later had a much bigger one with i shot the sheriff2 success outside of jamaica for bob marley and the wailers as they were now styling themselves finally came in the mid-1970s with hits including no woman no cry exodus waiting in vain jamming and is this love2 but marley was much more than a rastafarian dylan writing catchy songs about the pressing issues of his times. during the late 70s jamaica was an island undergoing immense social and political upheaval2 bob used his considerable influence in an effort to promote peace and find a middle ground between rival political factions in his country. he was the victim of an assassination attempt for his troubles2 he traveled the world not only as a touring musician but also as a goodwill ambassador for jamaica and the rastafarian religion. in 1978 he made his first trip to ethiopia the spiritual home of rastafari and stayed on a settlement donated by emperor haile selassie i2 two years later bob marley and the wailers were invited to perform at the zimbabwe independence concert by the brand new nations brand new president. bobs song zimbabwe had been an anthem for the soon-to-be-ex-colony of rhodesia2 marley was a hero to countless africans and was seen as an inspirational and unifying figure2 in 1977 marley learned that he had a type of melanoma in one of his toes. his doctors recommended amputation but bob refused for religious reasons and instead simply had the toe nail and nail bed removed in hopes that would remove all the cancer. it didnt. the disease metastasized throughout his body2 in 1980 he agreed to seek a somewhat controversial treatment at the clinic of dr. josef issels in germany. issels combination therapy which has been labeled ineffective by the american cancer society was indeed ineffective in marleys case2 bob wanted to die at home in jamaica but the trip back was too much for him. he passed away in a miami hospital on may 11 19812 bob marleys death stopped jamaica in its tracks. he was awarded the countrys order of merit jamaicas third highest honor for outstanding contribution to his countrys culture2 the government provided him a state funeral ten days after his death as the honorable robert nesta marley o.m. with prime minister edward seaga and the opposition party leader michael manley in attendance2 the streets were lined with countless thousands of mourners who watched bobs funeral procession wind from kingston to marleys mausoleum in his birthplace of nine mile2 bob marley was laid to rest with a soccer ball his les paul guitar and a bud of marijuana2