Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were a Jamaican-American

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

family group whose line-up consisted of the children of musicians,

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

and

Rita Marley Rita may refer to: People * Rita (given name) * Rita (Indian singer) (born 1984) * Rita (Israeli singer) (born 1962) * Rita (Japanese singer) * Eliza Humphreys (1850–1938), wrote under the pseudonym Rita Places * Djarrit, also known as Rita, a ...

, which includes lead singer

Ziggy Marley David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, musician, actor and philanthropist. He is the son of reggae icon Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 200 ...

with

Sharon Marley Sharon Marley Pendergast (born 23 November 1964) is a Jamaican singer, dancer, and curator. She is the biological daughter of Rita Marley and was adopted by Bob Marley when the two married. She was in the group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Make ...

Cedella Marley Cedella Marley Minto (born 23 August 1967) is a Jamaican singer. She is the daughter of reggae singers Bob Marley and Rita Marley and the mother of Skip Marley. She was in the group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers along with her sister and b ...

, and Stephen Marley. Formed in 1979 in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers members began their musical endeavours in their pre-teens under the name the Melody Makers. Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of their best-selling fourth album, ''

Conscious Party ''Conscious Party'' is Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers' third album. It was released in 1988. This album became popular with the hits "Tumblin' Down" and "Tomorrow People". It won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1989. In 2009, "To ...

'', which contained the hit single "Tomorrow People" and the number-one single "Tumblin' Down".Ziggy Marley Billboard Singles
All Music Guide. Retrieved on 6 January 2012 Their fifth album, ''

One Bright Day ''One Bright Day'' is the fourth album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1989. It won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album The Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was ...

'', which contains themes of optimism and self-empowerment, was released in 1989. In 2000, they toured worldwide for the release of their live DVD, ''Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Live'' (2001). In 1996 they sang the theme song for the animated children's TV series ''

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brittonic languages, Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. An ...

''.

Recording history

1979–1983: Early beginnings and Children Playing in the Streets

Originally formed at the request of their father,

, it was only after his death that the Melody Makers came into their own.Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers
All Music Guide. Retrieved on 6 January 2012 Their vision, however, is similar to their father's desire to bring people together through music and the Melody Makers' pop-reggae sound has certainly done that. The band is comprised by four of Bob Marley's ten children, vocalist/guitarist

Ziggy Ziggy is a masculine given name, often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Zigmunt and other names. It is also a nickname. Notable people with the name include: Nickname or hypocorism * Ezekiel Ansah (born 1989), National Football League pla ...

, vocalist/guitarist/drummer

Stephen Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

, vocalist Cedella, and vocalist

Sharon Sharon ( he, שָׁרוֹן ''Šārôn'' "plain") is a given name as well as an Israeli surname. In English-speaking areas, Sharon is now predominantly a feminine given name. However, historically it was also used as a masculine given name. In I ...

. As the eldest male, Ziggy is viewed by the press as the group's leader, with Stephen often sharing in the songwriting and lead vocals. The four siblings initially came together as a musical unit in 1979 to record "Children Playing in the Streets". Bob Marley had composed the song four years earlier for his children and wanted to share this gift with children around the world. All royalties from the single were pledged to the United Nations, to aid its efforts during the International Year of the Child. Ziggy and Stephen performed together at their father's funeral on 21 May 1981, dancing alongside the I-Threes and the Wailers, during their brief homage to the great artist. Later that year, the Melody Makers released their second single, "What a Plot," which, like their debut, appeared on their late father's own

Tuff Gong Tuff Gong is the brand name associated with a number of businesses started by Bob Marley and the Marley family. 'Tuff Gong' comes from Marley's nickname, which was in turn an echo of that given to founder of the Rastafari movement, Leonard " ...

label. In 1983, the group performed at Reggae Sunsplash, a festival that Ziggy and Stephen were already veterans of, having appeared on-stage there back in 1979 during the Wailers' own set.

1984–1987: Play the Game Right, name change and subsequent releases

In 1984, the Melody Makers began a recording session with English producer

Steve Levine Steve LeVine (born in New York) is a journalist. He writes The Electric, new publicationon batteries, electric vehicles, and their impact on society, cities and geopolitics. He is a senior fellow on the Foresight, Strategy and Risk Initiative at ...

that released a single, "Lying in Bed". In 1985, the group released their first album,

Play the Game Right ''Play the Game Right'' is the debut album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1985. The album was executive produced by Rita Marley. The album was nominated for a Grammy. Critical reception AllMusic called ''Play the Game Right' ...

. Although accompanied by the Barrett brothers, who were the solid rhythm section for the Wailers, the group's record bore little resemblance to their father's music. In 1986, Hey World was released and credited to Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers. This album laid the groundwork for the group's fast maturing sound. A phenomenal mix of upbeat pop and heavier roots, cemented by hip electro-production, it was evident that the Melody Makers were no longer in the thrall of their father's music, but had found their own voice. In support of the album, Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers embarked on their first tour, a veritable Tuff Gong roadshow with

Nadine Sutherland Nadine Sutherland (born 15 March 1968) is a Jamaican reggae singer whose early career was nurtured by Bob Marley. She went on to become a successful dancehall artist in the 1990s. Biography Sutherland was born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised i ...

and the

I-Threes Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as The Wailers, and prior to that The Wailing Rudeboys, The Wailing Wailers and The Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Robert ...

along as opening acts. The group was well received at the yearly

Reggae Sunsplash Reggae Sunsplash is a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica. In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival. The festival ran annually until 1996, with a final event in 1998, befo ...

in 1986 and 1987.

1988–1990: Conscious Party, career breakthrough and subsequent releases

In 1988, the band's popularity was at such a height that they were signed to the international major label

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldwid ...

. Later that year, they went into the studio with

Tina Weymouth Martina Michèle Weymouth (born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and a founding member and bassist of the new wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club, which she co-founded with her husband, Tal ...

and

Chris Franz Charton Christopher Frantz (born May 8, 1951) is an American musician and record producer. He is the drummer for both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, both of which he co-founded with wife and Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth. In 2002, Frant ...

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talkin ...

to record their third album, ''

''. The album charted at no. 23 on the

Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...

and at no. 26 on the

R&B Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...

chart.Ziggy Marley Billboard Albums
All Music Guide. Retrieved on 6 January 2012 The album spawned the successful single "Tomorrow People", which charted at no. 16 on the

Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent the middle ground between classic rock and active rock ...

chart and no. 39 on the

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

. The second single "Tumblin' Down" was also well received charting at no. 1 on

Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales In the issue dated March 16, 1985, '' Billboard'' magazine debuted its first chart devoted exclusively to 12-inch Singles Sales. The 50-position weekly ranking joined ''Billboard''s established Club Songs chart, reduced to the same 50 positions, ...

chart and at no. 28 on the

Dance Music/Club Play Singles Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...

charts. The album received a

Grammy award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

for "Best Reggae Album". The Melody Makers' follow-up album ''

'', released in 1989. The album charted at no. 26 on the

and at no. 43 on the

chart. The single "Look Who's Dancin'" received positive feedback and charted at no. 41 on

chart and at no. 23 on the

charts. The album also spawned the singles "Black My Story (Not History)", "One Bright Day", "Justice", and "When the Lights Gone Out". The album received a

for "Best Reggae Album".

1991–1992: Jahmekya

In 1991, the group released their sixth album, ''

Jahmekya ''Jahmekya'' is a studio album by the reggae group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1991. The album was nominated for a Grammy. It peaked at #63 on the ''Billboard'' 200. Production The album was produced by Glenn Rosenstein a ...

''. Although it brought the Melody Makers their most glowing reviews, the record itself did not begin to equal the sales of their last albums, and their single, "Good Time", barely scraped into the bottom reaches of the charts. The single "Good Time" only charted no. 85 on

charts. The album charted at no. 3 on the

Top World Music Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...

and at no. 63 on the

. The album also spawned the singles "Rainbow Country", "Kozmic", and "Small People". The album received a Grammy nomination.

1993–1997: Joy and Blues, Ghetto Youths United, leaving Virgin Records and subsequent releases

In 1993, the group released their seventh album " Joy and Blues". The album charted at no. 5 on the

chart, no. 75 on the

chart, no. 178 on the

chart, and no. 11 on the

Top Reggae Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in '' Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...

chart. Returning to their roots with a vengeance, and accompanied by former Wailers' bassist

Aston Barrett Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, England. Located immediately to the north-east of Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a ward within the metropolitan authority. It is approximately 1.5 miles from Birmingham City Centre. History Aston wa ...

, the album was their final one for Virgin. In 1995, the group signed a record deal with Elektra and released "

Free Like We Want 2 B ''Free Like We Want 2 B'' is an album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1995 by Elektra Records. It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Reggae Album" category. The album peaked at No. 170 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboa ...

" accompanied by the group's own recording label "Ghetto Youths United". The album charted at no. 170 on the

chart and no. 3 on the

chart. The single "Power to Move Ya" charted no. 13 on the

. In 1996 Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers released a song called "Love Power" for the Jim Henson soundtrack movie ''

Muppet Treasure Island ''Muppet Treasure Island'' is a 1996 American musical swashbuckler comedy film directed by Brian Henson. It is the fifth theatrical film in ''The Muppets'' franchise. Adapted from the 1883 novel ''Treasure Island'' by Robert Louis Stevenson, s ...

'' with the composers Barry Mann, Cynthia Wei

In that same year, the group performed the theme song to the

PBS Kids PBS Kids is the brand for most of the children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States. Some public television children's programs are not produced by PBS member stations or transmitted by PBS. Instead, ...

series, ''

''. In early 1997, the group performed at the tribute concert "Marley Magic Live" in

Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West Side, Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the List of New York City parks, fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban par ...

, New York on the Summerstage. They also released their second

best-of A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...

album " The Best of (1988-1993)". Later that year, the group released ninth album "

Fallen Is Babylon ''Fallen Is Babylon'' is the ninth album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1997. It won a Grammy award in the category of Best Reggae Album, and achieved commercial success with its single, "People Get Ready", produced by Michael ...

". The album only charted no. 3 on the

chart. In 1998, the second single "Everyone Wants to Be" charted at no. 16 on the

chart. The album earned the group their third Grammy award.

1999–2002: Spirit of Music and final releases

In 1999, the group released their tenth studio album, "

Spirit of Music ''Spirit of Music'' is a 1999 studio album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. It was the group's final album before their initial split in order to pursue solo careers. The album peaked at No. 1 for Top Reggae Albums chart. Unlike their pre ...

". The album peaked at no. 1 on the

chart. The album spawned the singles "Higher Vibration", "Jah Will Be Done", and "One Good Spliff". Later that year, the group reunited to perform at the "One Love All-Star Tribute Concert". The concert was recorded and released in the same year and features other performances from

Julian Marley Julian Ricardo Marley (born 4 June 1975) is a British-Jamaican reggae musician, songwriter, producer and humanitarian. He is the son of reggae music icon Bob Marley, and Lucy Pounder. He follows in his father's footsteps and is a devout Rasta ...

Erykah Badu Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu (), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by rhythm and blues, R&B, Soul music, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the ...

, and other artists. In 2000, the group released their live album " Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers Live, Vol. 1", which charted at no. 5 on the

chart. In May 2001, the group released a concert DVD "Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers Live". The DVD was filmed in 2000 in

Pompano Beach Pompano Beach ( ) is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. It is located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, just north of Fort Lauderdale. The nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. As of the 2020 ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Disbanding and recent projects

In 2003, Ziggy released his first album ''

Dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...

''. In the same year, Stephen and his brother

Damian Damian ( la, links=no, Damianus) may refer to: *Damian (given name) *Damian (surname) *Damian Subdistrict, in Longquanyi District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China See also *Damiani, an Italian surname *Damiano (disambiguation) *Damien (disambiguation) *Dam ...

put together an album called ''Educated Fools'' under the group name of Marley Boyz. They recorded it on the labels Ghetto Youths International and Tuff Gong International, collaborating with a number of other reggae artists including their brother

Ky-Mani Marley Ky-Mani Marley (born 26 February 1976) is a Jamaican singer and musician. His name is of East African origin, and means "Adventurous Traveler". He is the only child of Bob Marley with Anita Belnavis, a Jamaican table tennis champion. In 2001 ...

. Cedella currently lives in

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

, where she is the CEO of Tuff Gong International. She continues to tour with the Melody Makers internationally and perform on numerous TV shows. She has also developed a collection of customized women's clothing, named Catch A Fire, the title of one of her father's albums. Sharon balances her prowess on stage with the Caribbean business of Ghetto Youth United, the Melody Makers support group and as the curator of the Bob Marley Museum. Erica Newell, who was back-up vocalist for all of the group's tours, has pursued her own solo career. She released a single "Inspire Me". She is currently working on her own album, which will be released her own independent record label "Ouida International". She sings as a backing vocalist for Stephen Marley and continues to do her own shows. Stephen Marley (Vancouver 2007)

In 2006, Ziggy released his second album ''

Love Is My Religion ''Love Is My Religion'' is Ziggy Marley's second solo album, the first being '' Dragonfly'', after the 2000 end of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers. The album was released on July 2, 2006 by father Bob Marley's label Tuff Gong Worldwide, and carri ...

'', which earned Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". In the following year, Stephen released his first album ''

Mind Control Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and forced re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques. Brainwashin ...

'' in March 2007, which also earned a Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album". In 2008, Ziggy released a live CD/DVD "Love Is My Religion Live". In 2009, Ziggy released his third album '' Family Time''. In the same year, Stephen joined

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

and

Slightly Stoopid Slightly Stoopid is an American band based in the Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of folk, rock, reggae and blues with hip-hop, funk, metal and punk." As a band, they have released thirt ...

on the Blazed and Confused 2009 Tour and released '' Mind Control Acoustic''. In February 2011, Cedella announced she would design the kit for the Jamaican

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

team at the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

, including world champion

Usain Bolt Usain St. Leo Bolt, , (; born 21 August 1986) is a retired Jamaican sprinter, widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. He is the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay. An eight- ...

, under an arrangement with Puma. In May 2011, Stephen released his second album "Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life". In July 2011, Ziggy released his fourth album '' Wild and Free''. The album spawned the single "Forward to Love". In September 2011, Cedella released a book called "One Love". Ziggy's "Wild and Free" album and Stephen's "Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life" both have received a 2012 Grammy nomination. Stephen won the 2012 Grammy award for "Best Reggae Album".

Public image

Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were often compared to their father's group

Bob Marley and the Wailers Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as The Wailers, and prior to that The Wailing Rudeboys, The Wailing Wailers and The Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Robert ...

, a Jamaican reggae group. Jo-Ann Greene of All Music Guide stated, "The Melody Makers had a breezy pop style, and while it was impossible not to hear Bob in Ziggy's vocals, this only emphasized the incredible emotional qualities of his own voice."

Discography

;Albums * 1979: ''

Children Playing The discography of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, a Jamaican reggae family group, consists of ten studio albums, one Live albums, live album, four compilation albums, twenty-three Single (music), singles and four Video, video albums. The fou ...

'' * 1985: ''

'' * 1986: '' Hey World!'' * 1988: ''

'' * 1989: ''

'' * 1991: ''

'' * 1993: '' Joy and Blues'' * 1995: ''

'' * 1997: ''

'' * 1999: ''

TV/Film appearances

* 1991:

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...

* 1995: The Reggae Movie * 1995:

Family Matters ''Family Matters'' is an American television sitcom that debuted on ABC on September 22, 1989, and ended on May 9, 1997. However it moved to CBS, where it was shown from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998. A spin-off of '' Perfect Strangers ...

(Episode: Walking My Baby Back Home) * 1996:

(theme song) * 2008: Africa Unite: A Celebration of Bob Marley's 60th Birthday * 2012: Marley

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ziggy Marley And The Melody Makers Grammy Award winners Musical quartets American reggae musical groups Musical groups from Brooklyn Musical groups established in 1979 Musical groups disestablished in 2002 Jamaican reggae musical groups American people of Jamaican descent Sibling musical groups