Bob Marley, a trailblazer for the reggae genre, will celebrate his 77th birthday on Feb. 6, 2022. The legendary musician died from skin cancer in 1981 at 36.
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Bob Marley had 11 children. He is pictured alongside wife Rita and his children Sharon (second left), Ziggy(center), Cedella (right) and Stephen (front) in 1972. Many of Marley’s children followed their fathers’ footsteps and became musicians.
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Marley’s music career started in 1963, where he formed “The Teenagers” — later known as “The Wailers” — with fellow reggae artists Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Marley performs at Grona Lund, Stockholm, Sweden on Jan. 1, 1978.
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Bob Marley, who converted to Rastafarianism in the 1960s, was a vocal advocate for the legalization of marijuana. He’s seen smoking a joint backstage at Ahoy Hall Rotterdam in the Netherlands on June 23, 1980.
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Bob Marley, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, brought his form of Ska and Rocksteady genre to the forefront of music. Marley performs during a concert in Paris on July 3, 1980.
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In the mid 1970s, Bob Marley left Jamaica and moved to Europe, where he wrote hit songs “Jamming” and “One Love.” Marley and the Wailers perform during a music festival on July 4, 1980.
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Bob Marley practices his skills at a soccer field in Paris, France, on May 10, 1977. Marley, a soccer fanatic, was said to be a fan of Brazilian soccer legend Pele.
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Bob Marley may have not even reached 40, but his impact on reggae completely redefined the genre. Marley’s album “Legend,” released four years after his death, remains the best-selling reggae album of all time.
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