Peter Tosh

Reggae pioneer Peter Tosh grew up in Kingston, Jamaica and learned to play guitar as a teenager. The interest in music brought him to Joe Higgs, then a music teacher and developing producer. Higgs introduced him to two other ambitious teenagers, Bob Marley and Neville Livingston. The three began singing together and the Wailers were christened as a group in 1962. Two of the three took on stage names, as Livingston became Bunny Wailer and Winston McIntosh became Peter Tosh. The group had its first Jamaican hit with "Simmer Down" in 1964 and a string of historic records followed, as the group altered its style from ska to the slower rocksteady, to the emerging soul- and spiritually-rooted sound known as reggae. After a string of Jamaican hits (including "Soul Rebel" and "Stir It Up"), the group signed to Island worldwide and made its American debut with Catch a Fire in spring 1973. By now Tosh was adept at both guitar and keyboards and was also contributing songs. The second Island album Burnin' included the Marley/Tosh song "Get Up, Stand Up," one of the group's anthems. The song was later re-recorded separately by all three founding Wailers. During 1974 Tosh survived a car accident that fractured his skull and killed his girlfriend. The original Wailers ended soon afterward, partly due to disputes with Island and partly due to personal scruples (It was the glitter era, and Tosh and Bunny Wailer were unwilling to play for some of the more colorful London audiences). Tosh began concentrating on America, signing to CBS and releasing his solo debut Legalize It in 1976. The song's pro-pot stance struck a chord and Tosh remained a lifelong advocate for reform of marijuana laws. The follow-up album Equal Rights accented his more militant side and produced another signature song in "Stepping Razor." He next began working with the Rolling Stones who signed him to their label in 1978. Mick Jagger dueted with Tosh on "(You Gotta Walk and) Don't Look Back," a remake of a lesser-known Temptations track that became Tosh's biggest hit in America (Keith Richards also appeared on two tracks from that album, Bush Doctor). Tosh also developed a skill in unicycling, which he'd sometimes display onstage. Despite a few attempts at crossover success-including a cover of "Johnny B. Goode" in 1983-Tosh's work largely retained a spiritual and topical bent. The Rastafarian faith fueled most of his songs, and in the '80s he supported South Africa's fight for independence, including the song "Fight Apartheid" on his last album No Nuclear War (1987). By now he was well-respected in America, earning Grammy nominations for both the latter and a previous live disc. Tosh's Jamaican home was invaded on September 11, 1987 and he was killed in a botched robbery attempt. He's received numerous tributes since then including the Jamaican Order of Merit and a statue in Negril.