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... ler quit the band to pursue solo careers. This caused the band to change their name again and this time to Bob Marley and the Wailers. The departure of the two members created a hole in the backing vocal section, this hole was filled and then some by the I-Threes (Rita Marley, Judy Mowatts and Marcia Griffiths) (The Story). That summer the band started a new European tour.
Two of those shows were at the Lyceum Ballroom, both shows were considered among the top of the decade. Both shows were recorded and made the album Live! which included the unforgettable live version No Woman No Cry which was a world wide hit. The band underwent more changes with the addition of Al Anderson and Bernard Harvey that were later replaced by Junior Marvin and Tyrone Dowhie. The last time the original Wailers ever played together was at a Stevie Wonder concert for the Jamaican Institute for the Blind. Bob Marley and the Wailers continued their roll releasing the incredible album Rasta man Vibration in 1976.
This capped off a type of Reggae-Mania happening in the states. Rolling Stone named them Band of the Year (White). On the Rasta Man Vibration album was the powerful track War which lyrics came from a speech given by Emperor Haile Selassie (White). Bob Marley decided to play a free concert at Kingston's National Heroes Park on December 5, 1976. The idea behind the concert was a peaceful message against the ghetto wars happening in Trenchtown at the time. Tragedy struck two days before he went on stage; gunman broke into the Marley home and shot at Bob, Rita, and two friends.
Luckily no one was killed. Despite this Bob Marley went on to put on a memorable show two days later at the Smile Jamaica concert. Following the show the band left for the United Kingdom. While they were there they recorded 1977 s Exodus. Timothy White writes that This is possibly their best album to date, it solidified the bands international stardom (White). It went to the top of the charts in many countries including England and Germany.
It was also one of the top albums of the year. During their European tour, the band did a week of shows at the Rainbow Theatre in London. It was at the start of the tour when Bob injured his toe playing football (The Story). It was later diagnosed as cancerous. Also during this tour Bob received a very important ring, whose previous owner was the Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie (White). In May Bob was informed of his cancer.
His cancer would most certainly be taken care of by amputating the toe, but Bob refused. To do so would be against his Rastafarian faith. With this news the remainder of the Exodus tour was cancelled. His illness didnt prevent him from recording music though, 1978 saw the release of Kaya which had a much more mellow sound then previous albums.
Bob was accused of selling out because many of the songs were love songs or tributes to ganja (marijuana). Rastafarians believed that smoking the holy herb would bring them closer to Jah (god). In April 1978, Bob returned to Jamaica to play the One Love Peace Concert. In attendance were Jamaican President Michael Manley and the leader of the Opposition Edward Sea.
It was Bob who got them on stage and even got them to shake hands. On June 15 he was awarded the Peace Medal of the Third World from the United Nations (White). For the first time he visited Africa going to Kenya and Ethiopia. On this trip he started to work on the song Zimbabwe. The band also released their second live album Babylon by Bus which was recorded in Paris. The album that followed it was Survival in 1978.
Throughout the album the theme of black survival was evident. The Seventies were now coming to a close, Bob Marley and the Wailers were the most popular band on the road breaking many festival records. In 1980 the band found themselves in Gabon to perform in Africa for the first time. Here Bob Marley discovered that their manager had defrauded the band, Bob gave him a beating and fired him (White). The Zimbabwean government invited the whole band to perform at the countries Independence Ceremony in April. Bob later said of the invitation to be the biggest honor of his life (White).
After the amazing honor and experience Bob Marley continue to record, Uprising was released in 1980. Everything was looking bright; the band was planning an American tour with Stevie Wonder for that winter. Bobs health was deteriorating, but he still got clearance from a doctor to go on the road (The Story). The tour started with Boston, followed by New York.
During the New York show, Bob looked very sick and almost fainted. The next morning on Sept. 21 while jogging through Central Park, Bob collapsed and was brought to the hospital. There a brain tumor was discovered and doctors gave him a month to live (White). Rita Marley wanted the tour cancelled but Bob wanted to continue on.
He played an unforgettable show in Pittsburgh, but was too ill to continue so the tour was finally cancelled. It would be the last show he ever performed. Treatment prolonged his life somewhat but the inevitable was soon to happening. Bob was transported to a Miami hospital where he was baptized Berhane Selassie in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on November 4 (The Story).
In a final attempt to save his life he underwent a controversial treatment in Germany. While in Germany he celebrated his 36 th and final birthday. Ultimately the treatment didnt work. Bob wanted to die at home in Jamaica so he was flown back.
Unfortunately he didnt finish the trip; he died on May 11, 1981 in a Miami hospital (White). He was internationally mourned for and thousands showed up at his May 21 funeral to show their respects. In attendance were both the Jamaican President and the Leader of the Opposition. The Jamaican President gave the following speech at Bobs funeral: His message was protest against injustice, a comfort for the oppressed.
He stood there, performed there, his message reached there and everywhere. Todays funeral service is an international fight of a native son. He was born in a humble cottage nine miles from Alexandria in the parish of St. Ann. He lived in the western section of Kingston as a boy where he joined in the struggle of the ghetto. He learned the message of survival in his boyhood days in Kingston's West End.
But it was his raw talent, unswerving discipline and sheer perseverance that transported him from just another victim of the ghetto to the top-ranking superstar in the entertainment industry of the third world. Bob Marley now rests in a mausoleum at his birthplace. After his death he was awarded Jamaica's Order of Merit. The Prophet Gad insisted on becoming the owner of Bobs ring. However, amazingly the ring disappeared and has yet to be found. Bobs mother contends that the ring was returned to its place of origin.
With all Bobs incredible achievements throughout his life and worldwide fame he never lost place of his goals for peace. The incredible man Bob Marley was stills lives on today. It has always been said legends never die and with such musical genius Bob Marley's legend will live on.
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Research essay sample on The Story Of Bob Marley And Wailers
