Ska

• Genre of music that began in Jamaica in the 1950’s

• Combined elements of jazz and calypso music• Reggae music evolved out of Ska

Millie Small

• Had Ska’s first national hit with her song My Boy Lollipop

Desmond Dekker

• “King of Ska”• Backup band the Aces• Helped popularize the term and persona of a

“Rude Boy”– Similar to a “bad boy” or a “gangsta”

• Hits included Israelites, 007 (Shanty Town), and Rude Boy Town

Skatalites

• Originally formed in 1963, but broke up in 1965

• Reformed in 1983 and have been together ever since

• Hits include Ball O’ Fire, and Guns of Navarone

Rock Steady

• Name of what Ska music evolved into• Name comes from Alton Ellis’ 1966 hit song

Rock Steady • Young Jamaican “Rude Boys” identified most

with Rock Steady• The bass became the main instrument, and

vocal harmonies became more important than musicianship

Reggae

• The word comes from early 1960’s Jamaica to describe a “ragged” type of dance music

Neil Diamond

• American pop singer who had the first Reggae hit in the United States with his song Red Red Wine

Bob Marley

• Robert Nesta Marley• Born on February 6, 1945• Father was a British Army captain• Mother was a Jamaican teenager named

Cedalla Booker• Father returned to England the day after the

wedding, never to be heard from again

Bob Marley’s Early Career

• Quits school at 14 to concentrate on music• Forms his first group, the Wailing Rudeboys, in

1963 (later called the Wailing Wailers)• The original members of the Wailing Rudeboys

are Bob, and two Trenchtown friends Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston– Trenchtown is an area of downtown Kingston

• In 1964 the group releases their first number 1 hit in Jamaica called Simmer Down

Newlywed Bob

• Marries Rita Anderson in 1966• Moves to America the day after the wedding

to live with his mom who is a maid in Delaware

• Returns to Jamaica later in the year after saving up money to record more music

• Finds Rita has converted to Rastafarianism

Rastafarianism (Rasta’s)

• A religion originally from Jamaica that considers Africa as the Promised Land, which all true believers will someday return to, and that the late Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie I is the messiah

Return of the Wailers

• Bob reunites with the Peter and Bunny and the Wailers record a local hit called Bend Down Low in 1967

• Rita joins the group• Bob and all the Wailers fully embrace

Rastafarianism

Tuff Gong

• Record label formed by Bob Marley and producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry

Soul Rebels

• The first full album released by the group• Included the songs Soul Rebel and 400 Years

Catch a Fire

• Major label debut• A commercial success in England• Songs included Concrete Jungle, and Stir it Up

Eric Clapton

• English guitar legend• Reached #1 in US with his version of Bob

Marley’s I Shot the Sheriff • Constantly spoke of Bob Marley’s greatness in

interviews

Natty Dread

• First album released under the name Bob Marley and the Wailers

• Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston were no longer in the group, upset that Bob was receiving so much attention

• First album with backup singers the I-Threes– Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths

Smile Jamaica

• Bob, Rita and two friends are shot four days before the concert

• Bob and the group hide out in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains

• Bob and Rita perform two days later in bandages• Bob is unable to play his guitar• The Wailers were still in hiding and did not

perform

Bob’s Hiatus

• After the Jamaica Smile concert, Bob and Rita take 18 months off from the road

• Bob learns that he has a cancerous growth on his foot from an old untreated soccer injury

One Love Peace Concert

• Bob Marley and the Wailers return to performing

• Concert was an attempt to link Jamaica’s two feuding parties

• Bob had the leader of each party come on stage and he joined their hands together

Last Show

• September 23, 1980 in Pittsburgh

Legend

• Compilation album consisting of some of Bob Marley most well known songs

• Stays on the Billboard top 200 for 7 straight years

Marley Children

• Ziggy – Oldest son; style similar to Bob’s; band is the

Melody Makers• Damian– Son from Marley’s long time girlfriend Cindy; style

is a cross between reggae and rap• Stephen– Youngest son; style is a cross between Bob’s and

hip hop

Peter Tosh

• Original member of the Wailers• Famous albums Legalize It and Equal Rights• Recorded (You’ve Got to Walk and) Don’t Look

Back as a duet with Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones

Jimmy Cliff

• Wonderful World, Beautiful People reached the top 25 in the United States

• Bob Dylan called Cliff’s song Vietnam the greatest protest song ever

Burning Spear

• Backup band is called the Black Disciples• Two biggest hits are Calling Rastafari and

Don’t Sell Out• Won two Grammy awards for Reggae album of

the year