Personal details
- Birth Date: 1945-02-06
- Height: 5′ 6¾″ (1.70 m)
- Birth Location: Nine Miles, St. Ann, Jamaica
- Children: (his death, 5 children) Sharon Marley Prendergast
- Parents: Cedella Booker
- Professions: Music Artist, Music Department, Actor
Bob Marley came into the world on February 6, 1945, in a tiny Jamaican village called Nine Miles. His dad, Norval, basically ghosted right after marrying Cedella Booker, Bob’s mom, and didn’t stick around long—he died when Bob was just a kid. Growing up, Bob found his people in music, kicking things off with the Wailers alongside Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston back in ‘63. Fast forward a few years, he married Rita Marley, and thanks to her, he got deep into Rastafarianism. That belief system ended up shaping not just his own music but reggae overall. The Wailers linked up with producer Lee Scratch Perry, dropping classics like “Soul Rebel” and “Small Axe.” That partnership went south when Perry sold their music without asking, but it did get their sound to Chris Blackwell at Island Records, setting them up for international fame. Albums like “Catch a Fire” and “Burnin’” came out, and suddenly everyone knew songs like “I Shot the Sheriff”—especially after Eric Clapton covered it. By 1974, Tosh and Livingston split for solo gigs, so Bob pulled together a new Wailers lineup, with Rita backing him up. He kept cranking out hits, even after an assassination attempt in 1976 forced him to lay low in England. That’s where he made “Exodus,” which basically lived on the UK charts forever. But health problems caught up with him—a stubborn toe injury turned out to be cancer. Even as the disease spread, he kept going, touring and recording. He played to crowds around the world, even at Zimbabwe’s independence. But in May 1981, cancer finally took him down at just 36.
Nine Miles—this tiny village tucked away in the Jamaican hills—holds a crypt that’s pretty much a shrine. That’s where he rests, back home, just a stone’s throw from where his story began. In the crypt with him? Not just the man himself, but a handful of things that basically scream “legend.” His Gibson Les Paul guitar, the kind of axe you’d expect for a king of reggae, sits right there. There’s also a soccer ball (because, honestly, could you imagine him without football?), a chunk of cannabis (naturally, if you know, you know), and a Bible. It’s like a time capsule of everything he loved and stood for—music, sport, faith, rebellion, and that ever-present sense of freedom. Kind of wild to think about, but those items, side-by-side, just say it all. Even in death, he’s surrounded by the stuff that made him who he was.
referencennSo, you’ve got this legend, right? He’s not just dropping songs—he’s out here claiming his music will outlast everything. Is that cocky? Maybe. But when you’ve seen what he’s seen, lived what he’s lived, I mean, can you really blame him? He’s got receipts, you know? It’s like when someone’s so sure of their craft, it’s not even bragging anymore—it’s just facts. The guy’s convinced his tracks are gonna echo through time, long after the last encore. People might call it wishful thinking, but honestly, you look at the impact, the vibes, the way folks keep coming back for more—maybe he’s onto something. There’s this raw confidence, this almost stubborn belief, and it’s infectious. He knows the truth he’s lived, and he’s not afraid to say it out loud, even if it sounds a little wild. Legendary stuff, really.
February 6, 1945
5′ 6¾″ (1.70 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Nine Miles, St. Ann, Jamaica
Yes, Sharon Marley Prendergast
Cedella Booker and Surekha
80 years old