Art, literature & culture

Death of Bob Marley

11 May 1981

Bob Marley died on 11 May 1981 in Jackson Memorial Hospital, aged 36. A Jamaican singer and songwriter, Marley rose from the Trenchtown district of Kingston and, with the Wailers, which included Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, became the most recognizable voice of reggae. Influenced by Rastafari, his music mixed themes of love, resistance and spiritual belief, in songs such as No Woman, No Cry, One Love and Redemption Song. Albums like Catch a Fire and Exodus brought reggae to a global audience. He survived a shooting in 1976 and in 1978 brought rival Jamaican political leaders together on stage at the One Love Peace Concert. He died of cancer in Miami at 36, and he remains a worldwide cultural icon.

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