Bob Marley Was Inducted Into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 29 Years Ago

One of World Music’s biggest icons, Reggae singer Bob Marley was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame on this day in 1994 in Cincinnati. Marley’s posthumous induction was done by his label mate Bono of U2.

Bono in prose summarized his legacy in music and talked about how coupled with Marley’s eclectic lifestyle he drove three BMWs which meant Bob Marley & The Wailers.

Bob’s legacy touched everyone he came in contact with and his message of freedom fighting and universal truth “One Love” drew the world’s attention long after he passed in May 1981. His wife Rita also delivered a speech joined on stage by Bob Marley’s mother Cidella Booker, the I-Threes, Wailers, Ziggy Marley, Kimani Marley. Rita read an inspired speech with words of Bob Marley put together from his songs she says the speech is from “Zion.” 

In the audience was Paul McCartney and many other global music stars.

For his career started in the 70s   along with his band of brother The Wailers, they released 8 albums, two live albums and four compilations. The most successful of which is the longstanding Billboard chart​ topper​ ​”​Legend: The Best OF Bob Marley & The Wailers.​”​

• Studio Albums
  • “Catch a Fire” (1973)
  • “Burnin'” (1973)
  • “Natty Dread” (1974)
  • “Rastaman Vibration” (1976)
  • “Exodus” (1977)
  • “Kaya” (1978)
  • “Survival” (1979)
  • “Uprising” (1980)
• Live Albums
  • “Live!” (1975)
  • “Babylon by Bus” (1978)
• Compilation Albums
  • “Legend” (1984)
  • “Rebel Music” (1986)
  • “Natural Mystic: The Legend Lives On” (1995)
  • “One Love: The Very Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers” (2001)
• Sales Figures
  • Over 75 million records sold worldwide
  • “Legend” has sold over 28 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling reggae album of all time
  • “Exodus” and “Kaya” have both been certified Platinum by the RIAA in the United States
  • “Uprising” has been certified Gold by the RIAA in the United States

As for how Bob became a Rock act, Chris Blackwell recalls telling Bob, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, (the origin Wailers) to focus on being a “Rock Band” in his memoir “The Islander.” He told the young group “don’t think of their music as a reggae record. It’s a rock record.”

The music impresario recalls the experience in making the band’s first Island records album “Catch A Fire”. From the beginning Blackwell said he wanted to “take the music out of Jamaica without taking Jamaica out of it.” 

“They were immediately something else, these three — strong characters. They did not walk in like losers, like they were defeated by being flat broke. To the contrary, they exuded power and self-possession. Bob especially had a certain something; he was small and slight but exceptionally good-looking and charismatic. Bunny and Pete had a cool, laid-back nonchalance,” he surmised.

“As I took the measure of them, I thought, Fuck, this is the real thing. And their timing was good. Jimmy Cliff had just walked out on me a week earlier. Maybe it was kismet, I thought — just when Jimmy stormed out, Bob, Pete, and Bunny strolled in,” he said.

Like most Jamaican musicians, the trio wanted their music to be played on the black American radio stations. However, Blackwell had other plans for the group to get them on the rock music scene. 

“Catch a Fire didn’t immediately sell a huge number of copies,” he said but that didn’t stop him from putting full support behind the album.  “About 14,000 in the first year. I approached the release with confidence, but there was still a hesitancy at the label. In its first few months, it sold only 6,000 or so copies. I was extremely disappointed, but the prevailing attitude was: “That’s good for a reggae record.” My retort: “Don’t think of it as a reggae record. It’s a rock record. It’s a record that has the chance to be something important if we get behind it.”

It may not have sold a huge amount, but Catch a Fire got great reviews, especially for a music that still wasn’t taken seriously by most of the rock press. And over time, Catch a Fire carried on selling. As was the case with a lot of great Island records, it didn’t open big but it sold forever.

Later on after Bob did and Blackwell was backed in a corner to sell Island Records to the highest bidder

He eventually sold to PolyGram for $300 million and he went along for the ride as president; he said he went along to ensure “they didn’t erase Marley’s legacy.”

Bob Marley’s graphic artist Neville Garrick poses in front of a photo of himself when he was younger at the Bob Marley Experience exhibition in Hollywood, California. pic.twitter.com/NZcPeVrwy3

— WMV (@worldmusicviews) February 18, 2023

Marley’s legacy continues as the Marley Experience exhibit is opened in Hollywood California after a similar exhibit in the U.K and Toronto last year. with input from his graphic artist Neville Garrick, his Grammy Hall Of Fame trophy as well as those from his children Damian and Ziggy. The Bob Marley One Love Experience transports guests right into the heart of Marley’s music,” Lighthouse Immersive says.

The show features six rooms that bring together art, music, photos, memorabilia and what are described as “multi-sensory” experiences, Lighthouse Immersive said in a news release.

In Toronto, exhibit-goers heard Marley’s music in a virtual concert experience, viewed a wall-sized portrait and other artwork by Mr. Brainwash, and experienced Marley’s personal pastimes including his family and football.

“This exhibit brings together a mix of memorabilia, music, experiential entertainment and original art in a way I have truly never seen before — it transports you right into the heart of Marley’s music,” said Lighthouse Immersive producer Corey Ross.

Marley’s daughter Cedelia Marley, CEO of the Bob Marley Group of Companies, said in the release that Toronto is the perfect place for the exhibit’s first North American stop. “Dad loved playing here and there is an incredible Caribbean community and reggae scene in the city.”

Fans are invited to submit artwork to be included in the show at bobmarleyexp.com.

The Toronto run, July 1 to Aug. 14, is presented with the support of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, and produced by Lighthouse Immersive and Terrapin Station Entertainment.

The Bob Marley experience in the UK, had previously unseen photographs  from early tours, along with the iconic shot of Marley in between rival Jamaican politicians Michael Manley and Edward Seaga at the One Love Peace Concert, along with other key moments of his career.

It is not known whether the display of the family-sanctioned Adidas Ajax third kit shoe, above the song quote, “Don’t gain the world and lose your soul / Wisdom is better than silver and gold,” will be in the Toronto display.

One of the more recent images​ of​ Marley, is a punk interpretation by Anonymous artists known as The Postman.

The iconic image fuses colors on his hair, face, lips and shirt.

Among the words splashed across the shirt are PEACE AND UNITY, RASTAFARI, HAILIE SELASSIE, IRIE IRIE, SOUL REBEL.

 

The Postman Collective consists of two street artists along with their collaborators whose work surrounds music and pop culture. Many of their no commission graffiti style artwork only exist in the streets with the sole purpose of entertainment.

The Bob Marley punk inspired painting is their biggest mural yet based on an exclusive image by Island Outpost photographer Adrian Boot.

Adrian’s extensive work in cultural photography includes History of a Music Revolution and Reggae Explosion – The Story of Jamaican Music, The Bob Marley Exhibition; The Ultimate Experience – Jimi Hendrix Exhibition; The Punk Exhibition, The ReggaeXplosion exhibition and Reggae Museum in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Per World Photography Organization.