CEDELLA MARLEY BOOKER HAS PASSED
July 23, 1926 – April 8, 2008
Picture courtesy of www.classical-reggae-interviews.org
Reggae Times understands that the mother of legendary Reggae artiste the late Bob Marley, Cedella Marley Booker passed away at her
The following is an article published in Reggae Times Vol:2 No: 5, February 1998
Mother Booker
Cedella Marley-Booker or “Mother Booker as she is lovingly called is the mother of Reggae music icon the late Bob Marley
Cedella Malcolm was born in the farming community of Nine Miles in St. Ann, Jamaica. Her life was surrounded by music as her father and uncle were accomplished musicians, and at 14 she was the star vocalist in her church choir.
Encouraged by her son, Mother Booker recorded her first album “Redemption Songs” in 1985. Cedella‘s first live performance was at the base of the Grand Canyon before a tribe of Supai Indians in 1981 . Since then, she has toured Africa performing in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
Mother Booker has organised the annual Bob Marley Festival in Maimi for the past three years as benefits for the homeless.
Mother Booker appears on Reggae Sunsplash Roots night with her grandchildren, Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers, Damian Marley, Julian Marley along with Betty Wright, Lauryn Hill, I-Three, Othello Molineaux, Foundation and Chakademus & Pliers with Fab 5………
Mrs. Marley-Booker has written two books about her son:
Bob Marley, My Son
Bob Marley An Intimate Portrait
She also released two music albums “Awake Zion” and “Smiling Island Of Songs”
We at Reggae Times would like to send our deepest condolences to the Marley Family who just lost Mother Booker. Mother Booker will probably be buried at her home in Nine Miles, St. Ann where her son Bob Marley is also buried.