“One good thing about music, when it hits- you feel no pain”
"He was a man with deep religious and political sentiments who rose from destitution to become one of the most influential music figures in the last twenty years."
"As a social activist, his lyrics leave an indelible mark on our past, present, and future struggles to embrace a harmonious existence within the brotherhood and sisterhood of man on this earth."
"Without such a massive figurehead, reggae musicians had no one to aspire to and started looking in other directions."
"Bob Marley's music became the anthem of a displaced generation an the power behind his lyrics remains to this day. He taught the world what real reggae music was about. An island boy, born in Jamaica, in 1945, of mixed-race parents, Marley is the only reggae star to reach international status. He made his first recording at the age of 17 and at 19 began singing with The Wailers (originally called The Wailing Rudeboys). A strong Rastafarian (jailed in the States for possession of marijuana), Marley's lyrics drew hugely on his religious and political views; the lyrics of "War" on his celebrated Rastaman Vibrations' album are from a speech made by Haile Selassie. From being Jamaica's local hero, Marley suddenly found international cult status after hugely successful tours of the UK and US in 1975. His song lyrics made it difficult for him to live in a politically tense homeland beleaguered by violent unrest and in 1976 Marley was shot-the identity of the gunmen was never discovered. Marley survived, but began spending more of his time in the States, although his roots always remained in Jamaica. The man who brought reggae to the world died tragically of brain cancer on May 11, 1981, but his legend lives on in all who sing and listen to reggae today..."
