List of Bob Marley and the Wailers band members

Bob Marley and the Wailers were a Jamaican reggae band created by Bob Marley. The band formed when self-taught musician Hubert Winston McIntosh (Peter Tosh) met Neville Livingston (Bunny Wailer), and Robert Nesta Marley (Bob Marley) in 1963 and taught them how to play guitar, keyboards, and percussion. By late 1963 Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith had joined the Wailers. After Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left the band in 1974, Bob Marley began touring with new band members. His new backing band included brothers Carlton Barrett and Aston "Family Man" Barrett on drums and bass respectively, Junior Marvin and Al Anderson on lead guitar, Tyrone Downie and Earl "Wya" Lindo on keyboards, and Alvin "Seeco" Patterson on percussion. The "I Threes", consisting of Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths, and Marley's wife, Rita, provided backing vocals.

Bob Marley and the Wailers performing at Crystal Palace, London (1980)

Members

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Official members

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Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Bob Marley 1963–1981 (until his death)
  • vocals
  • rhythm guitar
  • acoustic guitar
  • percussion
all releases
Peter Tosh 1963–1974 (died 1987)
  • vocals
  • lead guitar
  • piano
  • organ
all releases from The Wailing Wailers (1965) until Burnin' (1973)
Bunny Wailer 1963–1974 (died 2021)
  • vocals
  • congas
  • bongos
Junior Braithwaite 1963–1964 (died 1999) vocals The Wailing Wailers (1965)
Cherry Smith
  • 1963–1964
  • 1965–1966 (died 2008)
backing vocals
Beverley Kelso 1964–1965
Constantine Walker 1966 none
Aston Barrett 1970–1981 (died 2024)
  • bass guitar
  • guitar
  • percussion
  • keyboards
  • piano
all releases from Soul Rebels (1970) until Confrontation (1983)
Carlton Barrett 1970–1981 (died 1987)
  • drums
  • percussion
Earl Lindo
  • 1973
  • 1978–1981 (died 2017)
  • keyboards
  • clavinet
  • organ
  • percussion
  • backing vocals
  • Burnin' (1973)
  • Survival (1979)
  • Uprising (1980)
  • Confrontation (1983)
Tyrone Downie 1974–1981 (died 2022)
  • organ
  • keyboards
  • bass guitar
  • percussion
  • backing vocals
  • Catch a Fire (1973)
  • all releases from Rastaman Vibration (1976) until Confrontation (1983)
Rita Marley 1974–1981 backing vocals
  • Catch a Fire (1973)
  • all releases from Natty Dread (1974) until Confrontation (1983)
Marcia Griffiths
Judy Mowatt all releases from Natty Dread (1974) until Confrontation (1983)
Al Anderson
  • 1974–1975
  • 1978–1981
lead and rhythm guitar
  • Natty Dread (1974)
  • Rastaman Vibration (1976)
  • Survival (1979)
  • Uprising (1980)
Alvin Patterson 1975–1981 (died 2021) percussion
  • Catch a Fire (1973)
  • Burnin' (1973)
  • Rastaman Vibration (1976)
  • Exodus (1977)
  • Kaya (1978)
  • Uprising (1980)
  • Confrontation (1983)
Earl "Chinna" Smith 1975–1976
  • lead and rhythm guitar
  • percussion
Rastaman Vibration (1976)
Donald Kinsey 1975–1976 (died 2024)
  • lead guitar
  • backing vocals
Junior Marvin 1977–1981 all releases from Exodus (1977) until Confrontation (1983)

Touring members

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Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Joe Higgs 1973
  • vocals
  • percussion
none
Lee Jaffe 1974–1975 harmonica

Session musicians

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Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Hugh Malcolm 1967–1972
  • drums
  • percussion
Alva "Reggie" Lewis guitar
  • Soul Rebels (1970)
  • Soul Revolution (1971)
Glen Adams keyboards
Robbie Shakespeare bass guitar Catch a Fire (1973)
Wayne Perkins lead guitar
John "Rabbit" Bundrick
  • synthesizer
  • clavinet
  • organ
Chris Karen percussion
Winston Wright
Bernard "Touter" Harvey
  • piano
  • organ
Natty Dread (1974)
Nathaniel Ian Wynter aka Natty Wailer keyboards
  • Rastaman Vibration (1976)
  • Exodus (1977)
Vin Gordon saxophone Kaya (1978)
Glen Da Costa
  • trumpet
  • saxophone
  • Kaya (1978)
  • Confrontation (1983)
David Madden trumpet
Val Douglas bass Survival (1979)[1]
Mikey "Boo" Richards drums
Carlton "Santa" Davis Confrontation (1983)
Devon Evans percussion
Ronald "Nambo" Robinson trombone

Timeline

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Line-ups

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Period Members Releases
c. 1964
c. 1965
  • Bob Marley – vocals
  • Peter Tosh – vocals
  • Bunny Wailer – vocals
  • Beverley Kelso – backing vocals
  • Cherry Smith – backing vocals
c. 1966
1966–1970
  • Bob Marley – vocals
  • Peter Tosh – vocals
  • Bunny Wailer – vocals
  • Rita Marley – backing vocals
1970–1972
  • Bob Marley – vocals, guitar
  • Peter Tosh – vocals, guitar
  • Bunny Wailer – vocals, percussion
  • Aston Barrett – bass guitar
  • Carlton Barrett – drums
1973
  • Bob Marley – vocals, guitar
  • Peter Tosh – vocals, guitar
  • Bunny Wailer – vocals, percussion
  • Earl Lindo – keyboards
  • Aston Barrett – bass guitar
  • Carlton Barrett – drums
1974
  • Bob Marley – vocals, guitar
  • Peter Tosh – vocals, guitar
  • Bunny Wailer – vocals, percussion
  • Tyrone Downie – keyboards
  • Aston Barrett – bass guitar
  • Carlton Barrett – drums
1974–1975
  • Bob Marley – vocals, guitar
  • Rita Marley – backing vocals
  • Judy Mowatt – backing vocals
  • Marcia Griffiths – backing vocals
  • Al Anderson – lead guitar
  • Tyrone Downie – keyboards
  • Aston Barrett – bass guitar
  • Carlton Barrett – drums
  • Alvin Patterson – percussion
1975–1976
  • Bob Marley – vocals, guitar
  • Rita Marley – backing vocals
  • Judy Mowatt – backing vocals
  • Marcia Griffiths – backing vocals
  • Earl "Chinna" Smith – guitar
  • Donald Kinsey – lead guitar
  • Tyrone Downie – keyboards
  • Aston Barrett – bass guitar
  • Carlton Barrett – drums
  • Alvin Patterson – percussion
1977
  • Bob Marley – vocals, guitar
  • Rita Marley – backing vocals
  • Judy Mowatt – backing vocals
  • Marcia Griffiths – backing vocals
  • Junior Marvin – guitar
  • Tyrone Downie – keyboards
  • Aston Barrett – bass guitar
  • Carlton Barrett – drums
  • Alvin Patterson – percussion
1978–1981
  • Bob Marley – vocals, guitar
  • Rita Marley – backing vocals
  • Judy Mowatt – backing vocals
  • Marcia Griffiths – backing vocals
  • Junior Marvin – guitar
  • Al Anderson – guitar
  • Tyrone Downie – keyboards
  • Earl Lindo – keyboards
  • Aston Barrett – bass guitar
  • Carlton Barrett – drums
  • Alvin Patterson – percussion

References

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  1. ^ Steffens, Roger; Pierson, Leroy Jodie (2005). Bob Marley And The Wailers - The Definitive Discography. Rounder Books. p. 116. ISBN 1-57940-120-1. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
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