Legendary musician and political activist Bob Marley was born in Jamaica on this date in 1945. A global ambassador for Reggae music, an icon of Jamaican culture and champion of Rastafarian beliefs, Marley’s legacy will continue to inspire fans and admirers around the world for generations to come.
Marley was just 36-years-old when he lost a battle with cancer on May 11, 1981. Despite his untimely death, Marley’s message, sound and leadership influenced and continues to influence many of the most important musicians of the past 35+ years in the realms of rock, funk, hip-hop and of course reggae.
The final Bob Marley & The Wailers concert tour was the worldwide Uprising Tour that spanned from May to September 1980. Prior to the tour’s opening night on May 30, 1980, rehearsal was held at Marley’s Tuff Gong Studio (56 Hope Road) in Kingston, Jamaica on May 1, 1980. Footage of the rehearsal for the final tour of Bob and his band mates running through “Concrete Jungle,” the Uprising tracks “Zion Train” and “Work” can be viewed below:
