1. The small Jamaican village of Nine Mile, situated in Saint Ann Parish, counts Bob Marley as its most famous son. Born on February 6th 1945, Bob was the product of a somewhat unlikely relationship between a young village woman and a captain of the British Navy. Bob’s mother Cedella was considerably younger than his father Norval Sinclair Morley, a captain of the British Navy.
Perhaps this difference in age, as well as Norval being white and Cedella black, led to the disapproval of Cedella’s family, and even their marriage in 1945 did little to appease those who were not in favour of the union. Norval continued to support the family financially following the end of the relationship, but this was the extent of his role in Bob’s life and from the age of 5 onwards, Bob did not see his father at all.
3. Bob and his new wife Rita Anderson spent 7 months living in Wilmington, Delaware with his mother Cedella, who had moved there some time previously. The 21 year old Bob spent his days at DuPont Chemicals working as a lab assistant, and his nights working at the Chrysler plant.
4. As lead singer of The Wailing Wailers, Bob found his influences in American soul and R&B acts and by the tender age of 19 had become something of a local hero after his first single with The Wailers, the 1964 hit “Simmer Down,” reached number one in Jamaica.
5. Political tensions in Jamaica were reaching boiling point in December 1976. A free concert had been arranged for the 5th of the month at the National Heroes Park in Kingston, and Bob was scheduled to perform. Two days before, his house was broken into by armed gunmen and Bob was injured along with his wife Rita and manager Don Taylor. Bob received gunshot wounds to the chest and arm, and those close to him begged him to pull out of the free concert, citing concerns for his safety. Bob refused and insisted on playing to his loyal fans.
6. To the people of Jamaica, Bob Marley was more than a musician. His unswerving devotion to his country extended so far that during the April of 1978, with tensions still running high in political circles and protests marked by bloodshed and violence increasing in frequency, Bob took the unprecedented step of inviting the leaders of Jamaica’s two main parties to join him on stage. Michael Manley, the Prime Minister and President of the People’s National Party, and Edward Seaga, the leader of Jamaica’s Labour Party, were both present at the One Love Peace Concert and their on-stage meeting cemented Bob’s standing as a cultural icon and an emblem of hope for Jamaica.
7. Bob Marley was married young, becoming husband to Rita at just 21. They were still married 15 years later when Bob died, aged just 36, in 1981. The matrimonial bond did not prevent Bob from enjoying liaisons with other women, and seven women have had their children recognised as being fathered by Bob. In total, 11 children have been officially acknowledged as Bob’s offspring, but even his death did not bring an end to further paternity claims.
8. In 1977, Bob was diagnosed with cancer. A malignant melanoma was found beneath a toenail, and many believe that the cancer was caused by a footballing injury, though sources say that the cancer preceded the original injury. A keen player, Bob refused to stop playing football and for several months continued to participate in the sport he loved even when it caused him pain in his damaged toe. A doctor suggested amputation, but this was against the beliefs of the Rastafarian religion which Bob followed and he refused. This decision allowed the cancer to continue its spread through his body and Bob was told on September 23rd 1980 that the disease was terminal. He was given only weeks to live.
Hours after receiving the news of his imminent death, Bob performed in Pittsburgh in what was to be his last concert. Upon Bob’s request, the song “I’m Hurting Inside” was played again and again during rehearsal, as he expressed his mental agony through repeated singing of the relatively unknown refrain.