"He's a Legend!" Bob Marley
"He's a Legend!"
"Bob Marley's Voice looms large on mainstream TV in the USA" is the headline to (Jamaica) Gleaner writer Anthony Turner's article published September 28, 2020.
Bob Marley passed away over 39 years ago, yet "his voice is featured in not one, but two current, mainstream television commercials in the US, which may give him the record for being the first and only Jamaican reggae artist to achieve this honour."
On Saturday September 26, 2020 "A concert and exchange event was held in Beijing to mark Bob Marley's (75) birth anniversary." An article by Zhang Rui on China.org.cn September 28, 2020 said: "The Marley family, Island Records, UME and Primary Wave Music Publishing have been working to honor the legacy of Marley, commemorating his 75th birthday and his importance in the history of global music with a year-long celebration."
Bob did say:"You a-go tired fi see mi face, Can't get me out of de race."
Let me tell you a story. Some years ago I was sent on assignment (from Kingston, Jamaica) to Geneva, Switzerland to cover a UNICEF conference. There were journalists from many other countries, - the UK, the USA, France, Norway, to name a few. The first morning at breakfast I realized that the pleasant Swiss woman who served the coffee was staring at me.
Just before we finished our meal she came over to the table and quietly asked, "Where are you from, please?" "I am from Jamaica," I replied. She looked blankly at me, smiled and walked away. "Perhaps she has never heard of the beautiful little island," I said to myself.
She walked slowly towards the kitchen. Then she paused for a few moments. She turned around and walked briskly towards my table. I wondered if there was a problem, but she had a big smile on her face . "Ah," she said,"Bob Marley!"
Bob Marley's music was the link that a woman had with an island thousands of miles away from her country.
Bob Marley is considered by many to be the first global icon and superstar from a developing country. Guo Jian a rock musician (at the concert in Beijing) said, "He is a legend. People like him will inspire you. You can influence the world if you have talent. People can still hear your voice."
Bob's legacy lives on through his message of love and unity, a sentiment needed more than ever in 2020. Zhang Rui, the writer of the article, said.
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