FEBRUARY 6, 2026 HISTORY GROUNDCOVER NEWS Remembering Bob Marley on his 81st birthday: Messenger of one love, one heart, peace and justice Robert Marley was born on February 6, 1945. If we do our math correctly, he would have been 81 years old now if he did not pass away on May 11, 1981. This year, the city of London has planned a big birthday party for Marley on February 6. Across the globe, including some college towns like Ann Arbor, there will be some form of get-together at house parties in remembrance of the great singer, philosopher and humanitarian. Robert Marley, who is known around the world as “Bob Marley,” is the first global super-star from the “third world.” He was born in a rural neighborhood known as Nine Miles in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica. His father, Norval Marley, was a white Englishman who was a supervisor of geographic agricultural lands in upland Jamaica. He was 50 when Bob Marley was born. Marley’s mom, Cedella Booker, was a black Jamaican teenager when Marley was born. In order to avoid local and international scandals, the couple quickly got married, but did not live together. Bob Marley was raised by his mother in a poor, rural village. Marley did not have much contact with his dad. At the age of 12, Marley and his Mom moved to Jamaica’s largest city and capital, Kingston. Life was tough for Marley and his mom at Kingston’s public housing known as “Trenchtown.” During his early teens, Marley learned to be a welder so he could help provide income for his family and help his mom. Marley got more interested in the music business. By the age of 16, he recorded his first song titled “Judge Not,” which was well received in Kingston. Marley met a young musician, Bunny Wailer, in 1962. Marley was about 17 years old and Wailer was a young adult who was friends with Marley's mom. Later that year, they asked another young musician, Peter Tosh, to join them in a new band they called “The Wailing Wailers.” Why did they call their band The WILL SHAKESPEARE Groundcover vendor No. 258 Wailing Wailers? The name was chosen because they said that they were all born crying as they grew up in the slums and ghettos of Jamaica, especially Kingston. Their song genre of preference was reggae. Their songs were a reflection of the poverty, deprivation, racism and injustice of 1960s Jamaica. The Wailing Wailers’ first song, “Simmer Down,” was a number one hit in 1963 in Jamaica. At the time, Jamaica’s dance music was fast frequency music called “scuff.” However, the Wailer’s reggae song slowed the beat. The original Wailers released many influential songs. Through his music, Marley and his band members tried to develop visions of peace and freedom. 1966 was a pivotal time for the Wailers and Marley. It was the year the Wailers fully joined the Rastafarian religion. It was the year that the Wailers began to grow their dreads. It was the year that Emperor Haile Selassie visited Jamaica. Selassie was regarded as the “Black King” who had been prophesied by “Jamaican Hero” Marcus Garvey. Some Jamaican historians and documentarians believe that Bob Marley and many other Jamaicans became convinced that Selassie was “Jesus Christ Reincarnated.” The Wailers and the Rasta elders believed that Jesus would return with a different name, and over time began to think that name was Haile Selassie. After Selassie went back to Ethiopia, the influence of Rasta spread exponentially and rapidly. 1966 was also the year that Bob Marley met a “Rasta woman” by the name of Rita. They got married the same year. Rita became one of the three female back-up singers of the Wailers. 1966 was also the year that Marley decided to migrate and join his mother in the United States. He was employed at a Chrysler Auto Plant in Delaware where his mom worked as an assembly plant union employee. He wanted to spend time with his mom and send earnings to new wife Rita, who still Bob Marley and The Wailers in the recording studio. Photo from Bob Katz and Fact Magazine. lived in Jamaica. After a few months, Marley left the job and the United States to continue his music and song-writing career in Jamaica. The Wailers felt exploited by the recording companies in Jamaica. Because Marley was an iconic and gifted performer with incredible stage presence, the musical group changed their name to “Bob Marley and the Wailers.” Luckily, in 1972 they were signed to a London-based recording company managed by Chris Blackwell, who was known in the European and United States music industry. “Catch a Fire” was their first album after signing the contract with Mr. Blackwell. Among the popular songs in “Catch a Fire,” which was released in 1973, were “Stir it Up” and “Concrete Jungle.” Bob Marley after the breakup In 1974, the band broke up. Each see MARLEY page 13 9
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