The Wailers
The Wailers first took shape in the mid-’60s. Originally formed by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, the Jamaican reggae band’s line-up changed greatly over the years, but in the early ’70s featured a nucleus that also included Aston “Family Man” Barrett and his brother Carlton Barrett. By the mid-’70s, Tosh and Wailer departed while Junior Marvin, Al Anderson, Tyrone Downie, Earl “Way” Lindo, Alvin “Secco” Patterson and the I Three backing vocalists had come on board.
With the goal of promoting peace, love and equality around the world through the power of their ground-breaking blend of reggae, roots, ska and rock, Bob Marley And The Wailers recorded and toured together until Marley’s death in 1981.
During this span, they released 13 albums, starting with 1965’s debut The Wailing Wailers through to 1983’s Confrontation, which came out posthumously. Among the many hits were Trenchtown Rock, Duppy Conqueror, I Shot The Sheriff, Exodus, Jamming, Is This Love, Satisfy My Soul and No Woman, No Cry.
The Wailers, who can comfortably claim a place in era-defining music history, have continued to carry the reggae, roots and rock torch. Now led by those who were raised under their tutelage, Aston Barrett Jr, the son of the irrepressible “Family Man”, anchors of the band.