In this blog, we will be discussing the life and work of Bob Marley, one of the most influential musicians of our time. Marley was a true pioneer in the world of reggae music, and his unique sound has influenced generations of artists since. Fidlarmusic will be taking a look at his early life, his musical career, and his legacy.
What was Bob Marley’s Net Worth And Salary?
Bob Marley was a reggae singer, songwriter, and musician from Jamaica. Bob’s estate was valued $11.5 million at the time of his death in 1981. In today’s inflation-adjusted currency, that equates to $32 million.
Bob Marley is regarded as a reggae pioneer and a symbol of the Rastafari movement. Marley’s records have sold over 75 million copies worldwide, making him one of the most successful musicians of all time. In 1981, he died of acral lentiginous melanoma.
Bob Marley Overview
Wealth and Estate Battle
Marley’s music and image rights produced hundreds of millions of dollars in income for his heirs in the decades following his death. According to reports, approved and illegitimate license payments produce more than $500 million in revenue per year.
Only allowed (legal) transactions benefit the estate. Today, royalties from the estate bring in between $25 and $30 million every year for the family. If Bob Marley were still living today, he would be worth well over $200 million.
Unfortunately, Bob died without a will, allegedly because his Rastafarian faith forbade him from embracing his own mortality by creating something resembling a will.
According to Jamaican law, when someone dies without a will, generally known as “intestate,” 10% of their wealth is instantly distributed to their widow. Over time, the widow can eventually earn an extra 45% part of the estate, for a total of 55%.
The remaining is split evenly among all live children. When Rita dies, the whole 100% control is split among his living children.
Following a person’s death, Jamaican law requires an advertisement to be placed in search of potential heirs. In Marley’s case, this ad drew hundreds of applications from people claiming to be his offspring.
With the aid of some dubious advisors, his widow Rita Marley faked Bob’s signature on a will that purportedly pre-dated his death. This will leave the majority of his estate to her.
When one of Marley’s longstanding business managers found what had transpired, he launched a 10-year court struggle that cost $6 million in legal fees, about half the estate’s value.
Finally, the Jamaican court ruled that Chris Blackwell, the owner of Bob Marley’s record label Island Music, should retain control of Marley’s inheritance.
Blackwell administered the inheritance through Island Logic Ltd until 2001, when complete authority passed to Rita Marley and his 11 recognized legitimate offspring.
Early Life
Robert Nesta Marley was born on February 6, 1945 in Nine Mile, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica to 59-year-old Norval Sinclair Marley and 18-year-old Cedella Malcolm.
His father was a white Jamaican from Sussex, England, who served in the Royal Marines and worked as a plantation supervisor.
Bob rarely visited his father, and after Norval died in 1955, Cedella and Bob relocated to Trenchtown.
Cedella later married American civil servant Edward Booker, giving Bob two half-brothers, Richard and Anthony.
Marley also had a half-sister, Claudette, through his mother’s connection with Thadeus Livingston, the father of Bob’s friend and future bandmate Bunny Wailer.
Bob and Bunny were childhood buddies who used to play music together when they were pupils at Stepney Primary and Junior High School in Nine Mile.
While residing in Trenchtown, Bob and Bunny joined a vocal trio with Peter Tosh, Beverley Kelso, and Junior Braithwaite.
Musician Joe Higgs lived nearby and supervised the group, giving them voice lessons and beginning to teach Marley how to play guitar.
Music Career
Marley began his music career in 1963, when he formed The Wailers with Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith, developing a distinct songwriting and vocal style that would eventually resonate with audiences worldwide.
The Wailers collaborated with producer Lee Scratch Perry on some of the first reggae tracks, and their single “Simmer Down” reached number one in Jamaica in February 1964.
After the original line-up disbanded in 1974, Marley pursued a solo career that culminated in the release of the album “Exodus” in 1977, which established his worldwide reputation and put Marley on the map as one of the world’s best-selling artists, with sales of more than 75 million albums and singles.
Marley released 13 studio albums (1 posthumously) and 6 live albums, with notable singles including “Redemption Song,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “No Woman, No Cry,” “One Love,” and “Get Up, Stand Up.”
Though Marley was primarily known for reggae, his music also contained elements of ska and rocksteady, and his greatest hits album, “Legend,” is the highest-selling reggae album of all time.
FAQs
How much money was Bob Marley worth when he died?
Bob Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, and musician. At the time of his death in 1981, Bob’s estate was worth $11.5 million. That’s the same as $32 million in today’s inflation-adjusted dollars. Bob Marley is known as a pioneer of reggae and an icon of the Rastafari movement.
Who got all of Bob Marley’s money when he died?
As he died without a will, his family could only depend on (Jamaican) intestate laws to decide on the distribution of his estate. Under these laws, Marley’s wife, Rita, would receive 10% of his assets, plus a life estate of 45%, and his 11 children would be entitled to equal shares in the remaining 45% of the estate
What happened Bob Marley’s estate?
Because he died without a will, Bob Marley’s estate was administered by the laws of Jamaica for those who die without a will. As a result, his mother did not inherit anything from his Jamaican estate.
Conclusion
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