Peter Tosh

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About Peter Tosh

A cofounder of The Wailers who came up alongside Bob Marley and palled around with The Rolling Stones, Peter Tosh is one of reggae’s most iconic figures. ∙ Although they went through several names, The Wailers were originally formed in 1963 by Bunny Wailer, Marley, and Tosh—the only one who knew how to play an instrument at the time. ∙ Leaving The Wailers in 1974, Tosh dropped his spiritual debut solo LP, Legalize It, which caught fire even after the title track was slapped with a radio ban due to its pro-ganja message. ∙ His politically charged LP Equal Rights, spawned several classics, including “Stepping Razor”—one of his long-lasting nicknames—and the anthemic “Get Up, Stand Up.” ∙ One of the few artists signed to The Rolling Stones’ label, Tosh opened for them on a 1978 tour and recorded a duet with Mick Jagger, a cover of The Temptations’ “(You Gotta Walk) Don’t Look Back.” ∙ Tosh was twice nominated for Grammy Awards, and his final studio album, 1987’s No Nuclear War, earned Best Reggae Recording honors just months after his untimely death. ∙ Although he was a fierce critic of the Jamaican government and its colonial legacy during his life, he was posthumously awarded the country’s Order of Merit in 2012.

HOMETOWN
Westmoreland, Jamaica
BORN
October 19, 1944
GENRE
Reggae
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