Bob Marley Biography

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Farewell to a Legend

Uprising was releases in 1980 and the band went on a tour of the USA with Stevie Wonder. Marley was given clearance for this tour from his doctor, even though his health was deteriorating. Marley looked very ill while playing a concert at Madison Square Garden and later collapsed whilst jogging in Central Park. A Brain Tumour was discovered and Marley was given one month to live, he then played his last ever concert in Pittsburgh.

On November 4th he was baptised Berhane Selassie in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Marley was flown to Germany for radical surgery but this did not work. Marley wanted to be flown back to Jamaica to spend his final days but died on 11 May 1981 whilst stopping at the Ceders of Lebanon hospital in Miami. On 21st May thousands were in attendance at Marley's funeral, including the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition. Marley was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit, the second highest honour in Jamaica.

After his death, Marley's legacy still lives on and his music is well loved by people from all walks of life, all over the world.

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