Bob Marley Biography
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Bob Marley's First Recordings
Marley, Tosh and Bunny formed a group called "The Teenagers" with singers Junior Braithwaite, Beverly Kelso and Cherry Smith. "The Teenagers" were tutored by Joe Higgs and drummer Alvin "Secco" Paterson.
The band changed names three times, firstly to "The Wailing Rudeboys", then the "The Wailing Wailers" and finally "The Wailers". In 1962 they entered in to a contract with Clemant "Coxone" Dodd to record for his "Studio One" Label. They went on to record around 100 tracks for Studio One.
Junior Braitwaite and Cherry Smith left during this period and Bob Marley took over as lead vocalist.
On 10 February 1966, Bob married Rita Anderson then went to join his mother in Delaware, USA, the following day (leaving Rita in Jamaica). His plan was to earn enough money to start up his own record label. Whilst Marley was away Rita began singing with the Soulettes and Rita's cousin Dream filled in for Marley in the Wailers. Sometimes Rita would stand in for Beverley Kelso. During this period the band recorded "Let Him Go (Rude Boy Get Gail)", "Dancing Shoes", "Jerk in Time", "Who Feels it Knows", "What Am I to do", "I've Got to Go Back Home", "Sinner Man", "Hoot Nanny Hoot", "Dream Land" "Rolling Stone" and "Can't You See".
Marley returned after a year and, as planned, set up his record label, Wail'N Soul'M records, named after the label's two acts - The Wailers and the Soulettes. The Wailers released Bend Down Low on this label with Mellow Mood as a b-side. However, the label closed down after this release for financial reasons.
In 1968, Danny Sims, owner of the JAD record label, spotted the Wailers playing some songs by Johnny Nash (an artist signed to Sims' label) at a concert. He was so impressed he offered them a record contract and the Wailers went on to record around 80 songs on the JAD label. The Wailers' contract with JAD did not prevent them from working with other labels so the band also recorded more songs with Leslie Kong during this period. They recorded Caution, Soon Come and Do it Twice although these didn't sell well as the Wailers were beginning to fall out of fashion.
Rita Marley had converted to Rastafarianism in 1966 following a visit to Jamaica by Emperor Haili Selassie I of Ethiopia and had changed her name to Ganette Mander (meaning paradise in Ethiopian) Bob Marley also took an interest in Rastafarianism and met with Mortimo Planno of the Divine Theocratic Temple of Rastafari. By 1969 the entire band had embrace the religion of Rastafarianism. Danny Sims discouraged the influence of Rastafarianism in the Wailers music as he wanted to market the band as an R&B act in the USA.
The band joined forces with legendary reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry in 1969 who recorded and produced songs for his Upsetters label. These songs were recorded with Perry's house band "The Upsetters". By 1970 The Upsetters' drummer Carlton Barrett and bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett joined the Wailers and became long term collaborators with Bob Marley. Two albums were released from this material, Soul Rebels in 1970 and Soul Revolution (in 2 parts) in 1971.
Previous: Early Years
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