Latest Ziggy Marley Articles
About Ziggy Marley
A six-time Grammy-winning musician, actor, artist, activist and humanitarian, Ziggy Marley has established his presence on the public stage for over a quarter-century. His newest release, Ziggy Marley In Concert, is a collection of live recordings from his 2012 Wild and Free World Tour. The album, which will release digitally on iTunes December 18th before its worldwide physical release on January 15th of 2013, continues to convey Marley’s overall message of love, freedom, hope and challenge.
The album features live tracks from his Grammy-nominated and critically acclaimed 2011 release Wild and Free, including the funky and fun-loving “Forward To Love,” the upbeat groove-driven “Reggae in My Head,” and the rock-fueled reggae anthem “Wild and Free.”
Live versions of the Bob Marley classics “War” and “Is This Love” also appear on the album as well as Ziggy’s hits “Tomorrow People” and “True To Myself.”
In recent years, Marley has been involved in a slew of projects including an extensive world tour that spanned most of 2011 and 2012. Among those dates was a group of themed tribute shows, “Tuff Gong Worldwide and Ziggy Marley Salute the Legends of Reggae,” which played at various Southern California venues in 2012, including a sell-out show at the Hollywood Bowl.
Additional projects include serving as executive producer of the celebrated documentary MARLEY(Shangri-La Entertainment), hosting his own monthly radio show, Legends of Reggae, on SiriusXM’s The Joint, and launching a GMO-free food line called Ziggy Marley Organics.
In April of 2011, Marley released his first ever comic book, Marijuanaman (Image Comics), which was published on the symbolically potent date of 4/20. Marijuanaman offers a new take on a familiar genre: a superhero with a galactic view of Earth’s dwindling natural resources and how one versatile plant might help save us all. Based on an original character created and developed by Marley, the 48-page, full-color book is written by Joe Casey (Gødland, Butcher Baker) and illustrated by Jim Mahfood (Kick Drum Comix, Mix Tape).
In 2010, Ziggy visited the World Cup in South Africa, in the footsteps of his father’s famous trip to Africa 30 years before. It was there Ziggy collaborated with brothers Robbie and Rohan to turn to the world of documentary filmmaking in Marley African Road Trip (http://marleyafricaroadtrip.com/wp). The documentary elevates a family vacation into a more meaningful communal experience. In the film, helmed by documentarian David Alexanian (Long Way Round, Long Way Down), Marley gives free shows in community settings, interacts intimately with his fans, motorbikes the back roads of South Africa, and discovers the joys and angst of camping with siblings.
Ziggy also continues to head Tuff Gong Worldwide, in honor of his father’s own music label Tuff Gong Records, which envisioned independent ownership of Marley music, leading the re- launch of Bob Marley’s official website and a May 2011 exhibit at the Grammy Museum in L.A. commemorating the 30th anniversary of his father’s passing in 1981. Ziggy recently reclaimed most of the publishing rights to his music from EMI, giving him a strong sense of fulfillment in light of the “independent spirit of what my father dreamed of.”
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Ziggy Marley and his siblings first sat in on recording sessions with his father’s band, the legendary Bob Marley and the Wailers, when he was ten years old. Later, Ziggy joined with his siblings Sharon, Cedella and Stephen to become Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, allowing him to craft his own soulful sound which blends blues, R&B, hip- hop and roots reggae. The Melody Makers earned their first Grammy (Best Reggae Recording) for their third album Conscious Party (1988), produced by Talking Heads Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, which included the hit songs “Tomorrow People” and “Tumblin’ Down.”
Subsequent albums included the Grammy-winning One Bright Day (1989), Jahmekya (1991), Joy and Blues (1993), Free Like We Want 2 B (1995), Grammy-winning Fallen is Babylon (1997), Spirit of Music (1999) and Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers Live, Vol. 1 (2000), featuring some of their biggest hits, as well as a cover of Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved.” While selling millions of records and selling out numerous concerts, Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers never lost sight of their foundations in faith, fellowship and family.
After two decades as the driving creative force behind The Melody Makers, Ziggy’s first solo tour came in Summer 2002, on the 23-city Jeep World Outside Festival, joining such artists as Sheryl Crow, Train and O.A.R. The following year saw the release of his debut solo album, Dragonfly, followed by 2006’s Love Is My Religion, a Grammy-winner that further explored personal, social and political themes amid a fragrant mix of roots reggae, traditional rock ‘n roll, African percussion and other varied musical elements. Marley won his fifth Grammy Award, in the category “Best Musical Album for Children,” for Family Time, a 2009 collection of reggae- inflected, family-oriented songs. Family Time features family and friends including; Rita Marley, Cedella Marley, Judah Marley, Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Laurie Berkner, Elizabeth Mitchell and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Involved with a breadth of charities, Marley leads his own, URGE (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment), a non-profit organization that benefits efforts in Jamaica, Ethiopia and other developing nations. The charity’s missions range from building new schools to operating health clinics to supporting charities like Mary’s Child, a center for abused and neglected girls.
Ziggy Marley splits his residency between Florida, Jamaica and California. Visit Ziggy online: www.ziggymarley.com.
Featured Articles
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
