Beginning of Musical Career

Burnin' Wailing Wailers

   It was in 1963 that Bob Marley formed his first music group with Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith, calling themselves "The Teenagers". The group changed their name a few more times before finally deciding to call themselves “The Wailing Wailers”. A year later, they wrote their first single, "Simmer Down," which went to the top of the Jamaican charts. The Wailers had quickly become popular in Jamaica, but broke up just as quick due to financial issues throughout the group.  After Braithwaite, Kelso and Smith left the group, the rest of the members went their separate ways as well, Marley moved to the United States to live with his mom. It was nearly a year later that Marley returned to Jamaica where he reunited with Livingston and McIntosh to form “The Wailers”. After returning to Jamaica, Marley became a member of the Rastafari movement. The Wailers began working with producer Lee Perry and eventually created a few successful songs together, which included "Trench Town Rock," "Soul Rebel," and "Four Hundred Years." In 1970, The Wailers added two new members Aston Barrett, a bass player and his brother Carlton Barrett, a drummer.  From the time the group had formed, they had really only developed single songs. It was not until 1972 when The Wailers got their big break and landed a contract with Island Records which allowed the group to get into the studios and record a full album. The first album The Wailers created was “Catch A Fire”, and to promote that album The Wailers toured Great Britain and the United States where they performed as an opening act for Bruce Springsteen and for Sly & the Family Stone. That same year, The group released their second album titled “Burnin” which featured the song "I Shot the Sheriff." Before the group could release their next album “Natty Dread”, McIntosh and Livingston left the group, breaking up The Wailers in 1974 to pursue solo careers. The three remaining members continued writing music together.