The Marley Brothers release Cornerstone as a tribute to their father, the legendary musician Bob Marley today, February 4, and headline the Cali Vibes festival tomorrow. The Bob Marley Roots 77 birthday tribute concert with performances by Ziggy Marley, a Stephen Marley livestream tribute, and many other highlights take place during a week’s worth of events, including an environmental beach clean-up and concert, a docuseries, and art shows at the Bob Marley Museum in Jamaica.
See more of what’s in store for the Hall of Fame, and Lifetime Achievement Award-winning reggae pioneer and what country to find it in.
The Marley Family will honour the life, legacy and music of Bob Marley for the anniversary of his 77th birthday with in-person, virtual, and philanthropic events planned in conjunction with Universal Music Group’s UMe division. Seven special events will take place over seven days — a beach clean-up, sound clash, music industry seminars, two art installations, a grassroots football clinic, and two concerts — under the theme Roots 77. See live stream concerts on Tuff Gong TV on YouTube.
Back to Our Roots beach cleanup and concert — Jamaica
The celebration of Bob Marley’s birthday will see the premiere of episodes of an award-winning mini-documentary series, green initiatives and celebratory events created to give back to his native Jamaica. Events include a beach clean-up and concert under the label Back to Our Roots.
Exhibitions
Two new exhibitions open at the Marley Museum in Jamaica, one in honour of Rita Marley and the other, a juried art show with submissions from Jamaican artists.
Web series Legacy: Episode 9, Dreams of Freedom
A new web series will premiere on Tuff Gong TV on February 3 at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET. The series explores the reggae legend’s spirituality, philosophy and his enduring influence on Jamaica and the world.
Adding to the birthday festivities, Dreams Of Freedom, the ninth episode of the Webby-nominated 12-part documentary series Legacy, will premiere February 3.
The Dreams of Freedom episode highlights Marley’s aspirations forTuff Gong International to become the “reggae Motown” and to achieve a spirit of self-reliance. The episode features the voice of Bob Marley, along with interviews with Marley’s wife and matriarch of the Marley Family, Rita Marley, his children (Cedella, Ziggy, Julian, Rohan, Ky-Mani, and Damian) and granddaughter Donisha Prendergast. Colleagues Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt of the I-Threes and others who were close to him appear in the episode. Watch Legacy: Episode 9, Dreams of Freedom and previously released episodes, 1-8.
Cornerstone record release
The Marley Brothers (Ziggy, Stephen, Damian, Julian and Ky-Mani Marley) have not released music together in over a decade but they will gathered together to record a cover of their father’s song Cornerstone, set for release on February 4. Cornerstone will be available via Ziggy Marley’s Tuff Gong Worldwide and Stephen Marley’s Ghetto Youth labels.
California Vibrations festival
The following day The Marley Brothers headline the Cali Vibes festival in Long Beach, California in celebration of their father’s birthday.
Earthstrong concert
Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945. Marley’s Earthstrong festivities culminate on February 6, with a limited-capacity concert celebration at Tuff Gong International in Kingston, Jamaica, which will be live-streamed.
Stephen Marley livestream tribute
In addition, an extraordinary Lion’s Den Concert by Stephen Marley from Miami, Florida, will also premiere on February 6 as part of the 77th Earthstrong ROOTS festivities.
Roots 77 birthday concert on Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Radio
Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Radio, introduced last year on SiriusXM channel 19 as part of a 26-channel addition to their music and entertainment streaming offerings, plans to air the Bob Marley Roots 77 Birthday Concert, a special presentation recorded at Tuff Gong International Studios in Kingston, Jamaica. With a lineup of reggae, roots, and dancehall legends and contemporary stars, all paying tribute – the concert features Marcia Griffiths, Bugle, Amanyea, Tony Rebel, Gyptian, Queen Ifrica, and Black Am I. Hear it on Tuff Gong Radio on February 6, and then hear it on the SXM app starting February 7.
Get 6 months of SiriusXM Streaming for just $5/mo. Billed up front. Fees and taxes extra. See offer details.Ziggy Marley webstream concert
Fans around the world can tune in on Friday, February 11 for an epic stream of Ziggy’s exclusive livestream tribute concert in honour of Bob Marley’s birthday filmed on May 30, 2021 at Petco Park in San Diego.
This article was updated on March 19.
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by Cherryl Bird – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Twitter @ladycbird | Instagram @cherrylbird