Peter Tosh Reggae Rebel

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

Peter Tosh was born Winston Hubert McIntosh in 1944 in Westmoreland. 

 

At age fifteen he moved to Trench Town where he spent time at the home of Joe Higgs. There he met Neville “Bunny Wailer” Livingston and Bob Marley. They later formed the Wailers; the group had many name changes and members but the trio stayed together the longest and reaped the success and fame that later came. The group rehearsed for almost two years before making its Studio One debut with Simmer Down. Tosh played the guitar, melodica, piano and organ on many of their early tracks, and even played for American pop star Johnny Nash’s Columbia Records sessions in the late 1960s, when Nash hired them as songwriters. 

 

By 1973, Tosh began to pursue a solo career. Legalise It was his debut album which included remakes of many of his earlier Jamaican recordings and gave the marijuana movement its most potent anthem in the title track. 

 

In 1978, after performing at the One Love Peace Concert, Peter Tosh caught the attention of Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. Jagger signed Tosh to his new Rolling Stones record label; Tosh was also featured as the opening act on Rolling Stones road shows. Tosh left the Rolling Stones but continued recording in the early 1980s but also took a three year break between 1984 and 1987. 

 

He came out of semi-retirement in 1987 to release No Nuclear War which won the Grammy for Best Reggae Performance. Shortly after, Tosh was murdered at his home in Kingston on September 11, 1987. Three armed men, led by Dennis “Leppo” Lobban entered Tosh’s house while he and his common-law wife were entertaining guests. They shot and killed Tosh and two of his guests. 

 

Some of his other major hits were: Equal Rights (1977), Bush Doctor (1978) and Mystic Man (1979).