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Peter Tosh music biography continued...

guitar at a young age. In the early 60s, he met Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer through his vocal teacher, Joe Higgs, and the trio named themselves Bob Marley and The Wailers The group began to pen rocksteady songs with social and political messages, and teamed up with production wizard Lee Perry to record some of reggae's earliest hits including "Soul Rebel," "Duppy Conqueror" and "Small Axe." With the addition of bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett and his brother, drummer Carlton in 1970, The Wailers became Caribbean superstars. The band signed a recording contract with Island Records and released their debut, Catch a Fire, in 1973, following it up with Burnin' the same year. Tosh, who had earned a reputation for his volatility, left the band a year later, claiming unfair treatment by Island. Tosh released his solo debut, Legalize It, in 1976 on CBS Records. The title track soon became an anthem for supporters of marijuana legalization. Continuing his militancy, he released Equal Rights in 1977. In 1978 Rolling Stones Records signed Tosh, and the album Bush Doctor was released, introducing Tosh to a larger audience. The single from the album, a cover of The Temptations song "Don't Look Back", performed as a duet with Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, turned Tosh into one of the best known Reggae artists in the world.



In 1979, Tosh released Mystic Man, followed by Wanted Dread or Alive in 1981. Both albums were recorded off the Rolling Stones' own label, and Tosh tried to court mainstream acceptance with both efforts. However, his politically charged lyrics prevented this, and Bob Marley became much more popular amongst reggae fans, while Tosh remained a target of the Jamaican police. In 1987, Tosh appeared to be on the way to a career revival. He was awarded a Grammy for Best Reggae Performance in 1987 for No Nuclear War. However, on September 11, 1987, Tosh was murdered in his Jamaican home, the target of a failed robbery attempt. In 1991, Stepping Razor - Red X was released, a documentary which chronicled the story of Peter Tosh's life, music and untimely death.