Aston “Family Man” Barrett, one of the great bassists of reggae music known for his work with Bob Marley & The Wailers, has died at the age of 77. Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister for Culture, announced the news on February 3rd and offered her condolences to his wife, children, and relatives. Barrett was widely recognized for his influential bass-playing, both as a member of The Upsetters and The Wailers, which helped shape the dub-influenced sound of reggae during the genre’s early years.
Barrett was born on November 22, 1946, and began his music career playing with Lee “Scratch” Perry’s band, The Upsetters. In 1970, he and his brother Carlton Barrett joined The Wailers, who were backing artists for reggae singer Johnny Nash. Shortly after joining the band, they began recording with Bob Marley, who signed a historic record deal with Island Records.
Throughout the remainder of Marley’s life, Barrett continued to play bass with the group, collaborating on many albums, including the popular ‘Catch a Fire,’ ‘Burnin’ ,’ and ‘Exodus.’ He was also instrumental in developing the deep and bass-heavy sound that The Wailers are well known for. In addition, he acted as an informal leader of the group and went on to become the mentor of bassist Robbie Shakespeare of Sly & Robbie.
Barrett earned his nickname “Family Man” for his natural ability to lead a band, although he fathered a reported 41 children. In 2006, he sued Island Records for £60 million for unpaid royalties, alleging unpaid royalties for his contributions to the recording of The Wailers’ music. However, he was unsuccessful in his litigation against the record company.
Barrett was ranked as the 25th greatest bassist of all time by NME readers in 2015. The biopic ‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ where Aston Barrett Jr, Barrett’s son, portrays him in the film, was released in the wake of his death on February 14th
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