Bob Marley

Birth Name:

Robert Nesta Marley

Birth Date:

February 6, 1945

Birth Place:

Nine Mile, Jamaica

Death Date:

May 11, 1981

Place of Death:

Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, Miami, Florida

Age:

Cause of Death:

Acral lentiginous melanoma (skin cancer)

Cemetery Name:

Bob Marley Centre and Mausoleum

Claim to Fame:

Music

Bob Marley was a Jamaican singer, songwriter and musician whose brilliant and ongoing distillation of early ska, rock steady, and reggae musical forms blossomed in the 1970s into an electrifying rock-influenced hybrid that made him an international superstar. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, Marley's contributions to music increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide, and made him a global figure in popular culture for over a decade. In 1994, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 11 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Bob Marley did not need to die from cancer at the young age of 36.

After suffering a stubborn toe injury that won’t heal while playing soccer before a gig, Marley was diagnosed in 1977 with metastatic melanoma. The cancer was found in his toe. Doctors advised Marley to have the toe amputated, but the devout Rastafarian refused, citing religious beliefs, and concerns it would interfere with his performances.

Untreated (except for a skin graft that didn’t do anything) over the next three years the cancer spread to his brain and lungs and was considered inoperable when he collapsed while jogging in Central Park, New York City.

His final words to his son Ziggy were “Money can’t buy life.”

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Bob Marley Centre and Mausoleum

Route B3

Nine Mile, ,

Jamaica

North America

Grave Location:

Private Mausoleum

Grave Location Description

Marley’s birthplace and mausoleum are located at the tiny village of Nine Mile, located inland between Claremont and Alexandria. The driving time is about 1.5 hours from Ocho Rios and 2.5 hours from Montego Bay (tours of all types are available including large buses and private taxi cabs).

At Runaway Bay, turn off the A1 highway onto route B3, a secondary road leading into the countryside. The small country village of Nine Mile consists of only a handful of buildings. Look for flags carrying Rastafarian colors that designate the Bob Marley Centre and Mausoleum, hidden behind a tall compound wall surrounding the property.

Note: the Bob Marley Centre and Mausoleum at Nine Mile should not be confused with the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston. Kingston was Marley’s home at the time of his death but he is buried at Nine Mile, his birthplace.