Remembering Bob Marley 41 years after his death

Bob Marley is an icon who served as a world ambassador for reggae music. He was born on 6 February 1945 and started his singing career in the 1960s. 

He didn't start as a solo artist. He first formed a group called Wailers alongside Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston. Later, he formed ' Bob Marley and the Wailers', which released songs such as 'Natty Dread' and 'Rastaman Vibration'.

The singer, who introduced reggae music to the world, continues to influence the music of many artists to this day. 

Rolling Stone describes him as a cornerstone of 21st Century music. The publication also ranked him at number 11 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

READ: Jammin' to the music of Bob Marley

His 1984 album, 'Legend', became the best-selling reggae album of all time. 

He sold more than 20-million records throughout his career. 

According to Biography.com, Marley was the first international superstar to emerge from the so-called Third World.

Some of his career highlights include: 

- Receiving the Order of Merit from the Jamaican government. 

- Being awarded the Medal of Peace from the United Nations in 1980. 

- Being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. 

- Receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. 

Marley died at the age of 36 years after his cancer, which started in his big toe, spread to his brain, lungs, and stomach. 

Listen to East Coast Gold on Wednesday,  11 May,  as we feature many of Bob Marley's biggest hits through the day. 

READ: Are you a Bob Marley superfan?

For loads of fantastic 60s, 70s, and 80s classics, listen to East Coast Gold via the ECR app or here. We’re also on platforms like Alexa (just enable the ‘East Coast Gold’ skill), MyTuner, Radio Garden, iono.fm, Radioline, and OpenRadio.

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