Ziggy Marley biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Singer, songwriter, musician. Born David Marley on October 17, 1968, in Kingston, Jamaica. The oldest son of reggae great Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley has continued the family’s involvement in the music scene, making a name for himself as one of the genre’s leading artists in the process. He spent some of his early years growing up in Trench Town, one of Kingston’s poorest neighborhoods as his father tried to make a success of his band, the Wailers (later Bob Marley and the Wailers). A singer in her own right, his mother joined the group in the mid-1970s.

Also in his youth, Marley spent some time in Wilmington, Delaware, where his younger brother Stephen was born in 1972. He already had an older sister Cedella and an older half-sister Sharon from his mother’s previous relationship. The four siblings recorded their first song together, “Children Playing in the Streets,” in 1979. Written by their father, the single addressed the horrible poverty that many children in Jamaica were living in. Royalties from the song were donated to the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Melody Makers

After his father’s death in 1981, Marley performed with Stephen at his funeral. They went on to form the Melody Makers with Sharon and Cedella. While all four members provided the vocals, Ziggy also played guitar, an instrument his father had taught him. Stephen played the guitar as well and the drums. Performing as the Melody Makers, they released their next single, “What a Plot,” later in 1981.

In 1985, the Melody Makers released their first album, Play the Game Right. But it failed to catch on. Their next effort, Hey World! (1986), met a similar fate, though it did receive many positive reviews.

Breakthrough Album

Changing names, the group became Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers and released Conscious Party (1988) with Virgin Records. The album helped the group break through to mainstream audiences. Produced by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads, it incorporated elements of reggae, pop, and rock. Handling much of the song writing, Marley managed to imbue the songs with an upbeat, positive quality while remaining topical and thought-provoking. The song “Tomorrow People” became popular with many listeners, and the album did well on both the pop and R&B/hip-hop charts in the United States. That year, the group brought home the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording.

With their next album, One Bright Day (1989), Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers had another critical success on their hands. They won the 1989 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording. But their record sales did not match their previous record. They made several more albums together in the 1990s, including the Grammy Award-winning Babylon Is Fallen (1997), before later disbanding.

Solo Efforts

Continuing to explore social, political and personal topics in his songs, Marley released his first solo album, Dragonfly, in 2003. He had a number of guests on the recording, including Flea and John Fusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the entire album had a strong rock and hip-hop flair to it. His next effort, Love Is My Religion (2006), won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

In addition to his music, Marley established the U.R.G.E. (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightment) organization to help children in poverty.

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