Bob Marley at 70

“Live for yourself and you will live in vain. Live for others, and you will live again.”
-Bob Marley

Singer and songwriter Bob Marley, born in Jamaica on 6 February 1945, would be celebrating his 70th birthday this year. During his lifetime he brought the Jamaican musical style of reggae to the world, and gained international recognition. Since his untimely death in 1981 from cancer, his legacy has only grown. The messages and the inspiration in his lyrics and music will continue to live on.

One could fairly say that his image and music are ubiquitous today. We remember him as a spiritual being, a Rastafarian, for his love of cannabis, and especially for his associations with anti-colonialism and liberation in Africa. His music and lyrics leave a lasting contribution to the world of music, and will certainly continue to have a lasting influence on countless singers and songwriters.

In celebration of what would be his 70th year, the Marley family will be releasing new albums of previously unreleased music and live performances. The first album of performances from Bob Marley and the Wailers, entitled "Easy Skanking in Boston '78," will be released 17 February. Enjoy this preview!

Read more about the album in Rolling Stone, Augsburger Allgemeine, and Kronen Zeitung.

From the Wall Street Journal, view previously unreleased photos of Bob Marley from a current exhibition in New York entitled “Soul Rebel: An Intimate Portrait of Bob Marley,” featuring images by photojournalist David Burnett.