Bob Marley Dies

1981

Bob Marley dies at age 36 after a long battle with cancer.

Marley became the first international reggae superstar after blending elements of rock and R&B into his sound, making it appealing to a wider audience. During his ascent, Marley was injured in a soccer game when another player's cleat punctured the big toe of his right foot. It got infected, and in 1977 doctors told him that he needed to have it amputated. Marley ignored the advice on the basis of his Rastafarian religion, figuring his faith will heal him. He continued to deny treatment even as melanoma developed in the toe and spread through his body, eventually killing him.