Bob Marley is a music legend and one of the founders of reggae. He was born in 1945 in Jamaica. Marley was born to a black mother and white father and was bullied because of his racial mix. Marley was born in the small village of Saint-Anne, but in the 1950s he and his mother moved to the capital city, Kingston.

Once in a bigger city, Marley became friends with Neville O'Riley Livingstone, known to the public as Bunny Wailer. Together they started playing music in a way that was very different from the popular music. They were influenced by African-American artists such as Ray Charles, Curtis Mayfield and The Drifters. Marley and Bunny started performing on Jamaican stages. The duo then met Peter Tosh who shared their passion for music.

In 1962, Marley decided to take his career in his own hands and signed with Beverley's label. The singer recorded his first tracks in studio and produced the album Judge Not. The artist’s tracks were not given radio airplay and Marley decided to try something else. Marley and his friends, Bunny, Peter Tosh and Junior Braithwaite, founded the group, The Wailing Wailers. The group was directed by drummer Alvin Patterson, and in 1963 by the record producer, Clement Dodd.

Dodd accepted recording the band’s first eponymous album in 1965. The same year, the trio launched their first single which was a rhythm and blues song entitled, Simmer Down. The song was a huge number one hit in Jamaica. The trio added two people to do background vocals and had impressive performances. However, they were having a hard time having a cohesive, stable band. Junior Braithwaite and the background vocalists left the group. The group dissolved and Marley went out on his own.

In 1966, Marley married Rita Anderson and moved close to his mother in Delaware, United States. The reggae singer was having a hard time and decided to return to Jamaica with his wife. Upon his return he reunited with his old friends Bunny and Tosh and they formed the group, The Wailers. Producer Clement Dodd criticized the group’s composition, along with the Rastafari movement, which promoted the use of cannabis and vegetarianism. The trio decided to form their own record company which they called Wail 'N' Soul 'M label.  They started writing and composing music for American singer Johnny Nash with whom they produced the single Stir It Up.

In the 1970s, the band did the songs Duppy Conqueror and 400 Years along with Lee Perry. In 1970, the Wailers recruited Aston and Carlton Barrett who played bass and drums. The same year, the group launched the albums The Best Of The Wailers and Soul Rebels. Although the group was very popular in the Caribbean, they had not yet conquered the international music scene.

In 1971, Bob Marley went on international tour with Johnny Nash and signed a recording contract with CBS. A few months later, Marley and his band members launched the albums Soul Revolution and Soul Revolution Part II.

The following year, The Wailers went to London to promote their new album Reggae On Broadway. Marley became friends with Chris Blackwell, founder of the prestigious record company, Island Records, and got the group signed with the label.

In 1973, the reggae band launched their successful album, Catch A Fire. The album helped them penetrate the international music scene and the group then started a tour across the United States and England. Bunny was not enjoying the music genre of The Wailers, so he decided to leave the group. He was replaced by Joe Higgs. The American tour was very successful and the group launched the album African Herbsman.

In 1973, the album Burnin’, by The Wailers, showed the band’s tremendous talent. The album included the singles Get Up! Stand Up! and I Shot The Sheriff. In a very short time, the album was number one and sold thousands of copies. The following year the group released Rasta Revolution.

The album Natty Dread came out in 1975. It was another commercial success with hits such as Talkin' Blues, No Woman, No Cry, So Jah Seh and Revolution. McIntosh and Bunny decided to concentrate on their solo careers and left the group. Marley went on tour without them. The reggae singer still performed with The Wailers using his wife Rita and background vocalists Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt. The same year the album Live! was released. The group then went back home and did a benefit concert along with Stevie Wonder.

In 1976, Bob Marley did his debut solo album Rastaman Vibration. It was a commercial success with hits such as War, Crazy Baldhead and Who The Cap Fit. The artist was very influential in Jamaica. Marley used this influence to promote peace. The following year, Marley was the victim of armed assault in his own house. Fortunately, Marley did not have any repercussions and was back on stage with The Wailers the same month as the incident.

In 1977, Marley and The Wailers moved to London where they produced the album Exodus. The group did many shows in England and the album sold thousands of copies. The singles Waiting In Vain and Jamming were at the top of the charts.

In 1978, Bob Marley and The Wailers continued along their long road of successful albums and released one more popular album, Kaya. The singles, Is This Love and Satisfy My Soul were at the top of the charts. The same year, Marley went back to Jamaica to perform for the Prime Minister. The United Nations gave Marley a Peace Medal for his social implication and for the way he promoted peace. After a trip to Kenya, Marley released a live album Babylon By Bus. Marley and the Wailers went on a world tour and did shows for the first time in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.  

In 1979, Marley and the band launched the album Survival which had the tracks Zimbabwe, So Much Trouble In The World and many others, in honour of the solidarity of African countries in the Third World. The year after, Marley became one of the first international artists to do shows in African countries such as Gabon and Zimbabwe.

In 1980, Marley launched his last album while he was alive with The Wailers entitled Uprising. The album had the immensely successful single Could You Be Loved, as well as the singles, Redemption Song and Coming In From The Cold. Marley and The Wailers launched their biggest tour in Europe and the United States. Without any warning an injury to Marley’s toe, that was not treated properly, became cancerous. In May 1981, at the age of 36, Marley died in a hospital in Miami. However, more than 25 years after his death, his music continues to have an impact all around the world. 

A posthumous album, Confrontation, was released in 1983, by Marley and The Wailers. In 1991, another album, Talkin’ Blues, was released, which was recorded live in 1973. The last live album was launched in 2003, and was entitled Live At The Roxy.