On 6th February 2005, 300,000 reggae fans attended Bob Marley's 60th Birthday celebrations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The huge turnout, including the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, confirmed Bob's music is still alive a quarter of a century after his death, a phenomenon few musicians could hope to achieve.

Prior to the concert Bob's wife Rita Marley floated the idea of taking his body from Jamaica to Ethiopia, 'his spiritual resting place', but the proposition was met with such violent opposition from Jamaica she retracted the suggestion.

Marley was born in 1945 in the rural district of St Ann, Jamaica, to Cedella Booker and English army lieutenant Norval Marley. His recording career began in 1965 at the Kingston based Studio One label, mimicking American RnB singers in a group called The Wailers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer.

By 1967 The Wailers were dissatisfied with good-time music. All three members converted to Rastafari and began writing revolutionary songs about social injustice, black pride and the desperate situation in Jamaica's ghettos.

In 1978 Bob headlined the One Love Peace concert in Jamaica. During his performance he made the historic gesture of uniting the hands of warring politicians Edward Seaga (Jamaican Labour Party) and Norman Manley (People's National Party), an event Jamaicans say "No one else but Bob could have achieved."

Bob was one of the few Jamaican musicians to have global ambitions for his music and message. As his career progressed he adapted his lyrics to have universal appeal, songs such as One Love, Kaya and Could You Be Love earning him global chart success and an army of international fans.

He approached his career like a rock star, understanding the importance of slick stage shows, accessible imagery and good media relations. Through this perfectionist attitude and endless touring, Bob Marley took reggae to the world. Whether it be Japa-reggae from Japan, Zouk from France or Germaican reggae from Germany, Bob Marley is, and always will be, the sounds founding father.

Sarah Bentley14 March 05

Sarah is music journalist specialising in reggae, dancehall and reggaeton. She regularly travels to the Caribbean to cover music from it's source and contributes stories to Touch, Trace, ID and Dazed & Confused.