Despite a diagnosis of malignant melanoma in 1977, Marley continued to travel, perform, and record. His last album, “Uprising”, came out in 1980, marking the start of a major European tour. After this tour ended, Marley’s final performance came in September 1980, as his health continued to deteriorate. He died in 1981 at the age of 36.
Marley’s album, Rastaman Vibration," became his breakthrough work in the U.S., reaching the top 50 on the Billboard Soul Charts in 1976. But this was also a turbulent time; gunmen seriously injured Marley, his wife Rita, and manager Don Taylor that same year. After a recovery period, they decided to relocate to England, which would expose Marley to musical trends which would greatly influence his development.
Marley was raised as a Catholic, but while recording in 1962, he developed an interest in Rastafari beliefs. When he returned to Jamaica he officially converted. This change was manifested not just spiritually, but in Bob’s hairstyle: he began growing what would become his iconic dreadlocks.
Marley and his mother moved to Kingston when he was 12. His childhood friend, eventually known as Bunny Wailer, continued their joint musical explorations, which now included influences from American radio programs featuring R & B. Their vocal group attracted the attention of Joe Higgs, known as the "father of reggae." Higgs taught Marley to play the guitar.
Bob Marley was born in Nine Mile, Jamaica. His father, Norval Marley, was a white man originally from Sussex, England, who married a young Afro-Jamaican woman named Cedella. Norval died when Bob was just 10.
