Stephen Marley brings reggae rhythms to the Vineyard

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Stephen Marley will play at the Performing Arts Center on Friday, July 12. — WikiMedia Commons

Stephen “Raggamuffin” Marley will be at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center on Friday, July 12, at 8 pm to deliver a mix of melodies from his ever-expanding repertoire. 

An eight-time Grammy awardwinner, Marley, along with his other musically gifted relatives such as Ziggy Marley, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Julian Marley, and Ky-Mani Marley, all carry on the musical legacy of Bob Marley.

In 1979, a young Stephen Marley stepped into the music scene with his childhood band, the Melody Makers, alongside his siblings Ziggy, Sharon, and Cedella. Marley and his older brother, Ziggy, were directly mentored by their father, the legendary Bob Marley, and even performed alongside Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Marley is not only a gifted vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, but also a talented producer. In 1999, Marley produced a remix of his father’s old music, and called it “Chant Down Babylon.”

The remix album was a modernised version of his father’s music, which appealed to listeners of the current day. Featured on the album were the likes of Lauryn Hill, Busta Rhymes, Steven Tyler, and the Roots.

Marley also produced music by his younger siblings, Julian and Damian. Marley produced his brother Damian’s first three albums, “Mr. Marley,” “Halfway Tree,” and “Welcome to Jamrock,” 

and immediately saw international success.

Marley has also enjoyed a long and successful solo career, releasing the albums “Mind Control,” and both parts of “Revelation,” which earned him two more Grammies. 

The concert starts at 8 pm in the PAC, and tickets range in price from $60 to $70.