Robert Nesta Marley was a reggae singer who was born in Nine Miles, Jamaica and raised in Kingston, Jamaica.(p.7 Upton) Bob later got interested in music and started a music group with some friends they called The Wailers. When Bob was young he often used music as an alternative to the harsh realities of life. Bob loved music and saw it as a way to reflect on and live life. .
Bob was born on February 6th 1947. His father was a general in the British army and he abandoned Bob and family. They had no contact for five years.(p.7-8 Upton) When Bob was five years old his family moved to Kingston, Jamaica. Here he lived with his best friend Bunny Livingston. When Bob and Bunny were sixteen they decided they wanted to start recording their music as an escape from the harsh realities of life such as the crime and danger of life.
In 1963 Bob released his first single entitled "Judge Not." When Bob moved to Kingston he lived with his friend Bunny Livingston who along with Peter Tosh later formed The Wailers.(p.10-11 Upton) They played at many local clubs, talent shows, and recordings in their hometown. The three young boys soon became one of the more popular bands in Jamaica. The Wailers" music was based on a popular dance music called ska. They just slowed down the beat and gave it a heavier bass sound which better suited them, this was called reggae. .
In 1965 Marley started his own record company it was called Tuff Gong.(pgs.23-25 Morgan) Tuff Gong is now known as the hometown of the Bob Marley Museum. Not long after the start of Tuff Gong Bob got married in February of 1966 to Rita Anderson. In 1967 they had their first son who they named Ziggy. Now Ziggy has followed his father into the music industry.
In 1971, Bob Marley and the Wailers signed a record deal with Island records. This was a big step for Marley and the Wailers because they were connecting with the hottest independent labelin the world at the time.