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                        Peter Tosh

   The driving force behind the formation of 'The Wailing Wailers' just so  happens to be the same person who taught Bob Marley how to play  guitar.  This legend of Reggae Music is the one and only Peter Tosh.
    
 October 9, 1944 was the day that Winston Hubert McIntosh entered this  world.  Growing up in Kingston (Jamaica)'s Trenchtown area, his notorious temper earned him the nickname, 'the Steppin Razor.'  Tosh took to music early, learning to play guitar and sing during his youth.  It was in the early 60s that his vocal Teacher, Joe Higgs (writer of the song from which Tosh's early nickname was taken), introduced Peter to Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley.  By '62 Tosh was pushing Marley and Wailer to form 'The Wailing Wailers' with Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith.  Their first hit was the Ska track 'Simmer Down.' The group recorded several more successful tracks before Braithwaite, Kelso, and Smith all left the band in 1965.
 
Marley spent most of the next year in the US with his Mother. Upon Marley's return to Yard in '67, he  Wailer and Tosh had all converted to Rastafarianism and renamed the group 'The Wailers.'  With the name change came a change in the group's sound, trading fast danceable Ska, for significantly more mellow Rock Steady.  Soon after, their lyrics shifted, now focusing on politics and social messages. After penning a number of tracks for American Singer Johnny Nash, they teamed up with Legendary Jamaican Producer Lee 'Scratch' Perry.  This collaboration would lead to their earliest Reggae hits including, 'Soul Rebel,' 'Duppy Conqueror' and 'Small Axe.'  Afterwards, the addition of Aston Barrett on bass and Carlton Barrett on drums the group took the Caribbean by storm.  1973 would bring their Island Records debut.  The album was called, 'Catch A Fire' and was followed up by 'Burnin.'
 
The same year as both of those releases, Tosh accidentally drove off a bridge.  His girlfriend died, but he survived with only a fractured skull.  A year later when Island records refused to release a solo album of Tosh's, both he and Bunny Wailer left The Wailers, citing unfair treatment.
 
In 1976 Peter Tosh made his solo debut on CBS Records with the album 'Legalize It.'  The title track is the legendary Marijuana legalization anthem.  Tosh's solo career took a more militant stand on rights, equality, etc... where as Marley was singing about peace and just getting along.  Due to Tosh's militancy, he became a target of the JA police and quite proudly wore the scars of beatings received at  their hand.  After 4 more albums, Tosh recorded 1983's 'Mama Africa' before entering a self-imposed exile.  He spent a healthy amount of time seeking the advice of traditional African spiritual healers and attempted to get out of several recording contracts that distributed his records in South Africa.  4 years later he received a Grammy for Best Reggae Performance on 1987's 'No Nuclear War.'
 
Shortly after the release of his award winning record Winston Hubert 'Peter Tosh' McIntosh was fatally shot during a supposed burglary of his home.  Tosh is survived by his son, now Reggae artist, Andrew.