David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born October 17, 1968, Trenchtown, Jamaica) is a four time Grammy-winning Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of Rita and Bob
... David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born October 17, 1968, Trenchtown, Jamaica) is a four time Grammy-winning Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of Rita and Bob Marley[1], the roots reggae singer.[2][3]
There are many theories and myths about where his nickname, "Ziggy", originated. The word from Ziggy himself is that he simply is not sure. Possibly, it is related to his zeal on the football field where he "zig zagged" around so much.
In 1979, Ziggy and his siblings, Cedella, Stephen, Damian, and Sharon made their recording debut with their father, "Children Playing in the Streets". The Melody Makers, as the group came to be known, played occasionally for several years, including at their father's funeral in 1981. Their debut LP was Play the Game Right, which was a very pop-oriented album, earning Ziggy some derision from critics. The band's label, EMI, wanted to market Ziggy as a solo act, and so the Melody Makers moved to Virgin Records, where they recorded Conscious Party (1988, produced by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth). The album was critically and popularly successful, as was One Bright Day (1989) and Jahmekya (1991). Some of his most popular singles include "True To Myself", "Drive", "People Get Ready", and his US Top 40 and UK Top 20 hit "Tomorrow People".
As the 1990s continued, the Melody Makers' sales slowly declined, beginning with Joy and Blues (1993) and continuing with Free Like We Want 2 B (1995).
