Jamaican reggae pioneer Bob Marley was born on this day in 1945. Throughout his life, he was known globally as a cultural ambassador not just for the genre, but also for Jamaican culture and Rastafarianism.
At age 12, Marley's family brought him to Trenchtown, a neighborhood in Kingston known nowadays for producing several popular musicians. He grew up not only playing reggae but also experimenting with ska and R&B he caught on the radio. In 1963, a few years after converting to Rastafarianism, he formed a group that would eventually be called the Wailers with two friends. Initially, he was just on vocals, but an artist who noticed his talent began to teach him guitar.
In 1973 the group's sound began to reach international audiences with a famous performance of "No Woman, No Cry" and a cover of their "I Shot the Sheriff" performed by Eric Clapton. A few years later, Marley survived an assassination attempt and permanently relocated to London. Throughout his career, he sold 20 million records. But many of his most popular songs were released posthumously. Now, his records sold are above 75 million.
Marley was diagnosed with a type of melanoma in 1977. His health deteriorated in the years that followed. While flying to Jamaica in May 1981 after several months of treatment, he had a medical crisis, forcing the plane to land in Miami, where he died.
To learn more about Marley's life, check out Biography.com.
