Ska

3. Ska • Genre of music that began in Jamaica in the 1950’s • Combined elements of jazz and calypso music • Reggae music evolved out of Ska

5. Millie Small • Had Ska’s first national hit with her song My Boy Lollipop

7. Desmond Dekker • “King of Ska” • Backup band the Aces • Helped popularize the term and persona of a “Rude Boy” • Similar to a “bad boy” or a “gangsta” • Hits included Israelites, 007 (Shanty Town), and Rude Boy Town

9. Skatalites • Originally formed in 1963, but broke up in 1965 • Reformed in 1983 and have been together ever since • Hits include Ball O’ Fire, and Guns of Navarone

11. Rock Steady • Name of what Ska music evolved into • Name comes from Alton Ellis’ 1966 hit song Rock Steady • Young Jamaican “Rude Boys” identified most with Rock Steady • The bass became the main instrument, and vocal harmonies became more important than musicianship

12. Reggae • The word comes from early 1960’s Jamaica to describe a “ragged” type of dance music

14. Neil Diamond • American pop singer who had the first Reggae hit in the United States with his song Red Red Wine

16. Bob Marley • Robert Nesta Marley • Born on February 6, 1945 • Father was a British Army captain • Mother was a Jamaican teenager named Cedalla Booker • Father returned to England the day after the wedding, never to be heard from again

19. Bob Marley’s Early Career • Quits school at 14 to concentrate on music • Forms his first group, the Wailing Rudeboys, in 1963 (later called the Wailing Wailers) • The original members of the Wailing Rudeboys are Bob, and two Trenchtown friends Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston • Trenchtown is an area of downtown Kingston • In 1964 the group releases their first number 1 hit in Jamaica called Simmer Down

21. Newlywed Bob • Marries Rita Anderson in 1966 • Moves to America the day after the wedding to live with his mom who is a maid in Delaware • Returns to Jamaica later in the year after saving up money to record more music • Finds Rita has converted to Rastafarianism

23. Rastafarianism (Rasta’s) • A religion originally from Jamaica that considers Africa as the Promised Land, which all true believers will someday return to, and that the late Emperor of Ethiopia HaileSelassie I is the messiah

24. Return of the Wailers • Bob reunites with the Peter and Bunny and the Wailers record a local hit called Bend Down Low in 1967 • Rita joins the group • Bob and all the Wailers fully embrace Rastafarianism

27. Tuff Gong • Record label formed by Bob Marley and producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry

29. Soul Rebels • The first full album released by the group • Included the songs Soul Rebel and 400 Years

33. Catch a Fire • Major label debut • A commercial success in England • Songs included Concrete Jungle, and Stir it Up

35. Eric Clapton • English guitar legend • Reached #1 in US with his version of Bob Marley’s I Shot the Sheriff • Constantly spoke of Bob Marley’s greatness in interviews

38. Natty Dread • First album released under the name Bob Marley and the Wailers • Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston were no longer in the group, upset that Bob was receiving so much attention • First album with backup singers the I-Threes • Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths

41. Smile Jamaica • Bob, Rita and two friends are shot four days before the concert • Bob and the group hide out in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains • Bob and Rita perform two days later in bandages • Bob is unable to play his guitar • The Wailers were still in hiding and did not perform

44. Bob’s Hiatus • After the Jamaica Smile concert, Bob and Rita take 18 months off from the road • Bob learns that he has a cancerous growth on his foot from an old untreated soccer injury

46. One Love Peace Concert • Bob Marley and the Wailers return to performing • Concert was an attempt to link Jamaica’s two feuding parties • Bob had the leader of each party come on stage and he joined their hands together

49. Last Show • September 23, 1980 in Pittsburgh