Ziggy Marley
Encyclopedia
David "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers
. He is the oldest son of famed reggae
musician Bob Marley
. His father gave him the nickname "Ziggy"; he has stated that it means "a small joint".
, Stephen
and Sharon
made their recording debut with their father, "Children Playing in the Streets". The Melody Makers, as the group came to be known, played occasionally for several years, including at their father's funeral in 1981. Their debut LP was Play the Game Right
, which was a very pop-oriented album, earning Ziggy some derision from critics. The band's label, EMI
, wanted to market Ziggy as a solo act, and so the Melody Makers moved to Virgin Records
, where they recorded Conscious Party
(1988, produced by Chris Frantz
and Tina Weymouth
). The album was critically and popularly successful, as was One Bright Day
(1989) and Jahmekya
(1991).
As the 1990s continued, the Melody Makers' sales slowly declined, beginning with Joy and Blues
(1993) and continuing with Free Like We Want 2 B
(1995).
Ziggy became politically active, working with the United Nations
and released on April 15, 2003. On July 2, 2006, his second solo album, Love Is My Religion
, was released on his independent record company Tuff Gong Worldwide. This album won a Grammy for best Reggae album and this was Ziggy's 4th Grammy win. On May 5, 2009, his third solo children's album Family Time
, was released on his independent record company Tuff Gong Worldwide. Family Time features Family and Friends, Rita Marley, Cedella Marley, Judah Marley, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Jack Johnson, Toots Hibbert, Laurie Berkner, Elizabeth Mitchell and more. This album won a Grammy for "Best Musical Album for Children".
Some of his most popular singles include "True To Myself", "Drive", "People Get Ready", and his US Top 40 and Us Top 20 hit "Tomorrow People".
In April 2011, Marley announced his fourth album, entitled Wild and Free would be released on June 14. The title track, featuring Woody Harrelson
, is available for free with the pre-order of Ziggy's first comic book, "Marijuanaman."
. He is married to Orly Marley, who is a former vice-president of William Morris Agency
. He also has 6 children, Daniel Marley, Justice Marley, Zuri Marley, Judah Victoria, Gideon Robert Nesta, and Abraham Selassie Robert Nesta. Most of the family resides in Miami.
, Bruce Springsteen
, and Elton John
), with proceeds given to the Pediatric AIDS
Foundation.
Marley made guest appearances as himself on an episode of the sitcom Family Matters in 1995, and on the television series Charmed
in season 6 (episode 14, "The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell"), performing "Rainbow in the Sky".
He and his Melody Makers made a guest appearance on the popular kids television show Sesame Street
in the 1991-92 season, and sang a Sesame Street version of "Small People" from their 1991 album Jahmekya
In 1996, Marley and the Melody Makers recorded the reggae-style theme song for the children's television series Arthur
called "Believe in Yourself".
He voiced Ernie, one of Sykes' (Martin Scorsese
) Rasta
jellyfish
henchmen in the 2004 film Shark Tale
. In the film when Oscar (Will Smith
) tries to sing the Bob Marley
song "Three Little Birds
", Marley's character zaps Oscar on the head and says "That's not the way you sing that song, mon." The title song for the film was a cover version
of "Three Little Birds" performed by Marley and Sean Paul
.
Further voice acting includes "Crockadle" on an episode of My Gym Partner's a Monkey
, the Cheshire Cat
in a 2010 episode of Wonder Pets
, and Reflux the Knaaren, in the Ubisoft video game Rayman 3.
Marley covered "Drive" by The Cars
for the Adam Sandler
movie 50 First Dates
, and his father's song "Three Little Birds" for the Dora The Explorer
soundtrack.
Ziggy is listed as the featured artist on Donna Summer
's song, "Crayons," the title track from her 2008 album. He has also performed duets with Angelique Kidjo, Sting, Dora The Explorer, Taj Mahal, The Chieftains, Sean Paul and others.
Marley and his daughter Judah made an appearance in the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
.
Ziggy Marley released a pro-marijuna song in support of California's Proposition 19 ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana. Voters rejected the ballot but backers said they would mount another legalization campaign in 2012.
, Ziggy was mentioned while his father, Bob Marley (who was brought back to life via time machine), had his hands full with Shaggy. Shaggy first implies that Ziggy was merely a Bob impersonator ("Me? What about Ziggy? He sings all your songs - he even looks like you!"), while Bob answers that Ziggy is his son. Shaggy taunts Bob on how Ziggy might have got his name, on which Bob fight backs with comments on Scooby-Doo
, where Shaggy got his nickname.
His song "Love Power" was played during the end credits of Muppet Treasure Island
(1996), and "True To Myself" was featured on the TV show Scrubs
(Season 8 Episode 14 - "My Soul On Fire", Pt. 1).
In the episode of South Park entitled Medicinal Fried Chicken
, Randy Marsh wants to get a prescription for medicinal marijuana before the Ziggy Marley concert in Denver.
He is mentioned in holding a concert in Nevada in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
.
Solo Albums
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers was a reggae group composed of Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Sharon Marley and Cedella Marley, all children of Bob Marley.-Albums:*Play the Game Right *Children Playing...
. He is the oldest son of famed reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
musician Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
. His father gave him the nickname "Ziggy"; he has stated that it means "a small joint".
Musical career
In 1979, Ziggy and his siblings, CedellaCedella Marley
Cedella Marley is daughter of reggae artist Bob Marley and Rita Marley. She played in her brothers' group Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers....
, Stephen
Stephen Marley (musician)
Stephen Robert Nesta "Raggamuffin" Marley is a Jamaican American musician and the son of reggae legend Bob Marley and his wife Rita Marley. He is a five-time Grammy award winner as an artist, producer, and member of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers.-Life and career:Marley was born in Wilmington,...
and Sharon
Sharon Marley
Sharon Marley Prendergast is the biological daughter of Rita Marley who was adopted by Bob Marley when the two married. She played in the group Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers together with her siblings in California in 1988....
made their recording debut with their father, "Children Playing in the Streets". The Melody Makers, as the group came to be known, played occasionally for several years, including at their father's funeral in 1981. Their debut LP was Play the Game Right
Play the Game Right
Play The Game Right was the debut album by Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, released in 1985 on EMI Records.The album was produced by Rita Marley-Tracks:#Naah Leggo#What a Plot#Play the Game Right#Aiding And Abetting#Revelation...
, which was a very pop-oriented album, earning Ziggy some derision from critics. The band's label, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, wanted to market Ziggy as a solo act, and so the Melody Makers moved to Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, where they recorded Conscious Party
Conscious Party
Conscious Party is Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers' third album. It was released in 1988. This album became popular with the hits "Tumblin' Down" and "Tomorrow People"...
(1988, produced by Chris Frantz
Chris Frantz
Chris Frantz is an American musician and record producer. He was the drummer for both Talking Heads and the Tom Tom Club.-Career:...
and Tina Weymouth
Tina Weymouth
Martina Michèle "Tina" Weymouth is an American musician, best known as a founding member and bassist of the New Wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club .-Profile:Weymouth is of French heritage on her mother's side. Weymouth was a cheerleader in high school...
). The album was critically and popularly successful, as was One Bright Day
One Bright Day
Contrary to the apparent track listing from the CD label, liner notes or how it may pop up in your particular music library, the actual track listing is as follows:-Track listing:# Black My Story # One Bright Day# Who Will Be There...
(1989) and Jahmekya
Jahmekya
Jahmekya is an album by the group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.-Track listing:#Raw Riddim#Kozmik#Rainbow Country#Drastic#Good Time#What Conquers Defeat#First Night#Wrong Right Wrong#Herbs An' Spices#Problem With My Woman...
(1991).
As the 1990s continued, the Melody Makers' sales slowly declined, beginning with Joy and Blues
Joy and Blues
Joy and Blues is an album by reggae band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.-Track listing:#Joy and Blues#Brothers and Sisters#There She Goes#Talk#Rebel in Disguise#X Marks The Spot#Head Top#African Herbsman#World So Corrupt#Garden#Mama...
(1993) and continuing with Free Like We Want 2 B
Free Like We Want 2 B
Perhaps more than any of the Melody Maker's previous releases, this album showcases the individual talents of each bandmember. The result is one of their most consistently inventive and musically varied sets...
(1995).
Ziggy became politically active, working with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and released on April 15, 2003. On July 2, 2006, his second solo album, Love Is My Religion
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 carries on his reggae-style pop sound and lyrical themes...
, was released on his independent record company Tuff Gong Worldwide. This album won a Grammy for best Reggae album and this was Ziggy's 4th Grammy win. On May 5, 2009, his third solo children's album Family Time
Family Time (album)
Family Time is an album by Jamaican musician Ziggy Marley, released in 2009 through the record label Tuff Gong. In 2010, the album earned Marley the Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children.-Track listing:...
, was released on his independent record company Tuff Gong Worldwide. Family Time features Family and Friends, Rita Marley, Cedella Marley, Judah Marley, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Jack Johnson, Toots Hibbert, Laurie Berkner, Elizabeth Mitchell and more. This album won a Grammy for "Best Musical Album for Children".
Some of his most popular singles include "True To Myself", "Drive", "People Get Ready", and his US Top 40 and Us Top 20 hit "Tomorrow People".
In April 2011, Marley announced his fourth album, entitled Wild and Free would be released on June 14. The title track, featuring Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd...
, is available for free with the pre-order of Ziggy's first comic book, "Marijuanaman."
Personal life
Ziggy Marley is the oldest son of Bob MarleyBob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
. He is married to Orly Marley, who is a former vice-president of William Morris Agency
William Morris Agency
WME is the largest talent agency in the world, with offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, Nashville, London, and Miami. WME represents elite artists from all facets of the entertainment industry, including motion pictures, television, music, theatre, publishing, and physical production...
. He also has 6 children, Daniel Marley, Justice Marley, Zuri Marley, Judah Victoria, Gideon Robert Nesta, and Abraham Selassie Robert Nesta. Most of the family resides in Miami.
Philanthropy
- Ziggy Marley founded Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (URGE), which works to help children (especially in Jamaica and Ethiopia).
- In 2007, Marley signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids RockLittle Kids RockLittle Kids Rock is a nonprofit organization that provides free instruments and lessons to children in under-served public schools. The organization is supported by a number of music industry luminaries including Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Joe Satriani, BB King, Jason Newsted, Linkin Park's Brad Delson,...
, a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and free lessons to children in public schools throughout the United States. He has visited with children in the program and sits on the organization's board of directors as an honorary member.
Other work
In 1991, Marley and the Melody Makers contributed the song "Give A Little Love" to the Disney album, For Our Children. The album is a collection of kid-friendly songs by popular artists (e.g. Paul McCartneyPaul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, and Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
), with proceeds given to the Pediatric AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
Foundation.
Marley made guest appearances as himself on an episode of the sitcom Family Matters in 1995, and on the television series Charmed
Charmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
in season 6 (episode 14, "The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell"), performing "Rainbow in the Sky".
He and his Melody Makers made a guest appearance on the popular kids television show Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
in the 1991-92 season, and sang a Sesame Street version of "Small People" from their 1991 album Jahmekya
Jahmekya
Jahmekya is an album by the group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.-Track listing:#Raw Riddim#Kozmik#Rainbow Country#Drastic#Good Time#What Conquers Defeat#First Night#Wrong Right Wrong#Herbs An' Spices#Problem With My Woman...
In 1996, Marley and the Melody Makers recorded the reggae-style theme song for the children's television series Arthur
Arthur (TV series)
Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
called "Believe in Yourself".
He voiced Ernie, one of Sykes' (Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
) Rasta
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
jellyfish
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...
henchmen in the 2004 film Shark Tale
Shark Tale
Shark Tale is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation. In the story, a young fish named Oscar falsely claims to have killed the son of a shark mob boss to win favour with the mob boss' enemies and advance his own community standing...
. In the film when Oscar (Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
) tries to sing the Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
song "Three Little Birds
Three Little Birds
"Three Little Birds" is a song by Bob Marley & The Wailers. It is the fourth track on side two of their 1977 album Exodus and was released as a single in 1980. The song reached the Top 20 in the UK, peaking at number 17. It is one of Bob Marley's most popular songs. The song has been covered by...
", Marley's character zaps Oscar on the head and says "That's not the way you sing that song, mon." The title song for the film was a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Three Little Birds" performed by Marley and Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
.
Further voice acting includes "Crockadle" on an episode of My Gym Partner's a Monkey
My Gym Partner's a Monkey
My Gym Partner's a Monkey is an American animated television series created by Timothy and Julie McNally Cahill and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It premiered on December 26, 2005 and ended in November 27, 2008 following a marathon of its final regular-run episodes...
, the Cheshire Cat
Cheshire Cat
The Cheshire Cat is a fictional cat popularised by Lewis Carroll's depiction of it in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Known for his distinctive mischievous grin, the Cheshire Cat has had a notable impact on popular culture.-Origins:...
in a 2010 episode of Wonder Pets
Wonder Pets
Wonder Pets is an American animated children's television series. It debuted on March 3, 2006, on the Nick Jr. block of the Nickelodeon cable television network and Noggin on the same day...
, and Reflux the Knaaren, in the Ubisoft video game Rayman 3.
Marley covered "Drive" by The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
for the Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
movie 50 First Dates
50 First Dates
50 First Dates is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by George Wing. The film stars Adam Sandler as a woman-chasing veterinarian and Drew Barrymore as an amnesiac, along with Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, Blake Clark, and Dan Aykroyd.Most of the film...
, and his father's song "Three Little Birds" for the Dora The Explorer
Dora the Explorer
Dora the Explorer is an American animated television series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh, and Eric Weiner. Dora the Explorer became a regular series in 2000. The show is carried on the Nickelodeon cable television network, including the associated Nick Jr. channel. It aired on CBS until...
soundtrack.
Ziggy is listed as the featured artist on Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
's song, "Crayons," the title track from her 2008 album. He has also performed duets with Angelique Kidjo, Sting, Dora The Explorer, Taj Mahal, The Chieftains, Sean Paul and others.
Marley and his daughter Judah made an appearance in the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
.
Ziggy Marley released a pro-marijuna song in support of California's Proposition 19 ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana. Voters rejected the ballot but backers said they would mount another legalization campaign in 2012.
In popular culture
On an episode of Celebrity DeathmatchCelebrity Deathmatch
Celebrity Deathmatch is a claymation television show that depicts celebrities against each other in a wrestling ring, almost always ending in the loser's gruesome death. It was known for its excessive amount of blood used in every match and exaggerated physical injuries...
, Ziggy was mentioned while his father, Bob Marley (who was brought back to life via time machine), had his hands full with Shaggy. Shaggy first implies that Ziggy was merely a Bob impersonator ("Me? What about Ziggy? He sings all your songs - he even looks like you!"), while Bob answers that Ziggy is his son. Shaggy taunts Bob on how Ziggy might have got his name, on which Bob fight backs with comments on Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
, where Shaggy got his nickname.
His song "Love Power" was played during the end credits of Muppet Treasure Island
Muppet Treasure Island
Muppet Treasure Island is a 1996 American musical film based on Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. It is the fifth feature film to star The Muppets and was directed by Jim Henson's son Brian Henson....
(1996), and "True To Myself" was featured on the TV show Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
(Season 8 Episode 14 - "My Soul On Fire", Pt. 1).
In the episode of South Park entitled Medicinal Fried Chicken
Medicinal Fried Chicken
"Medicinal Fried Chicken" is the third episode of the 14th season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 198th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 31, 2010...
, Randy Marsh wants to get a prescription for medicinal marijuana before the Ziggy Marley concert in Denver.
He is mentioned in holding a concert in Nevada in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
.
Discography
- Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers albumsZiggy Marley discographyThis is a listing of official releases by Ziggy Marley, an Jamaican singer and musician. Ziggy Marley started his musical career with some of his brothers and sisters as the Melody Makers in the 1980's and continued to perform and record with them for the next two decades. His fist solo album,...
Solo Albums
- 2003: Dragonfly
- 2006: Love Is My ReligionLove is my ReligionLove 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 carries on his reggae-style pop sound and lyrical themes...
- 2008: Love Is My Religion Live
- 2009: Ziggy Live From Soho
- 2009: Family TimeFamily Time (album)Family Time is an album by Jamaican musician Ziggy Marley, released in 2009 through the record label Tuff Gong. In 2010, the album earned Marley the Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children.-Track listing:...
- 2011: Wild and Free