In his teens, Bob Marley was nick named Tuff Gong, because of his patience and modesty.
While taking his mother to work one day, Bob met Neville O'Riley Livingston (otherwise known as Bunny). It was then that Bob took his first musical steps. Fascinated by the music that they picked up from the American music stations, Marley and Bunny began experimenting with their own musical abilities. Influences came from Ray Charles, Fats domino, Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions, and The Drifters. .
Soon after meeting Bunny, Bob decided to quit school and pursue a career in music. At vocal lessons with Joe Higgs, Bob and Bunny were introduced to Peter Tosh. The following year, 1963, Bob decided to form a group, and with the help of Bunny and Pete, The Wailing Wailers were formed.
During the last weeks of 1963, The Wailing Wailers released their first single, " simmer down-. In the following January it was number one on the Jamaican charts, where it stayed for two months. The Wailing Wailers then began recording regularly. Early in 1966 Bob's mother remarried, and wanted Bob to move to America with her. Bob refused, and on February 10, 1966 he was married to Rita Anderson "another aspiring artist.
The Wailing Wailers, known now as the Wailers or Bob Marley and the Wailers, released their first album " Catch a fire-, which was an immediate hit."" Catch a Fire- was followed by "Burnin-, which included the songs, "Small Axe-, "put it on-, " Get up Stand up-, and " I Shot the Sheriff-. Next, Bob Marley and the Wailers started touring both Britain and the United States, and the concerts were recorded for a live album together with the single " No woman No Cry-. When they returned to Jamaica, The Wailers played at a benefit concert with Stevie Wonder, they were obviously the country's greatest super stars.
The international success of the Wailers, helped strengthen Marley's growing political importance in Jamaica, and his Rastafarian stance found a strong home with the youth.