Early Life
Robert Nesta Marley grew up in Nine Mile and in Kingston's Trenchtown, where he formed the vocal group the Wailers with Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh in the early 1960s.
Career
The Wailers reached worldwide attention after signing with Island Records in 1972. Albums such as Catch a Fire (1973), Exodus (1977) and Uprising (1980) yielded songs including “No Woman, No Cry”, “Get Up, Stand Up” and “One Love”. Marley survived a 1976 shooting at his home and headlined the One Love Peace Concert in Kingston in 1978.
Legacy
Marley died of cancer in Miami in 1981 at the age of 36. Time named Exodus the best album of the 20th century, and his compilation Legend (1984) became one of the best-selling albums ever. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24