A Brief Look into The History of Reggae
Originating from Jamaica in the 1960’s reggae is a unique style of music with a very particular sound. Reggae to is the product of different genres of music, particularly ska and rocksteady however it was also influenced heavily by many different types of music such as calypso music, american jazz, and rhythm and blues. In the 1960’s Jamaica had only just become an independent country. As such, they were dealing with a multitude of social issues, which only worsened in as they approached the mid 60’s. These are just some of many factors that would shape this musical genre into what many of us know and love today. impacted their music greatly.
Bob Marley is one artist that often comes to mind when many people think of reggae music. This is likely because he drastically impacted the genre on a global level. Born Robert Nesta Marley (who was to later be known as Bob Marley) entered this world in 1945. His early life into his teens were difficult times, as he lived in poverty in a place known as Trench Town. However, because of these experiences, Bob was a formidable fighter. In addition to that, he drew from those experiences to create several songs such as “Trench Town Rock” and “No Woman No Cry”. Marley traveled to many different places during his life gaining new experiences and performing. Sadly, Bob Marley passed away on May, 11th 1981. His influences on persisted even after death as he was recognized for many awards and honors even after his passing and is still highly regarded even today.
Reggae spread very quickly throughout the world. Its popularity could be in part due to not only its uniqueness but also the fact that it takes advantage of many different instrument types such as the horn, keyboard, and vocals. In February of 2008 Bruce Golding, the prime minister of Jamaica, declared it national reggae month.