“MY MOTHER IS RECUPERATING WELL AND DOING MUCH, MUCH BETTER!” SAYS ZIGGY MARLEY!

ZIGGY Marley, eldest son of Bob and Rita Marley, said his mother is recuperating in Florida. He spoke exclusively with the Jamaica Observer last weekend.

“If is one thing I know, my mother is a strong, strong woman. She is doing much, much better and is in Florida with (my sister) Cedella and other family members,” he said.

A former member of the sibling group the Melody Makers, Cedella Marley is CEO of the family-owned Tuff Gong International.

In September, there were reports that the 71-year-old Rita suffered another stroke and was admitted to a Miami hospital. Marley said the decision was taken not to allow his mother to return to Ghana, where she has resided for the past 20 years.

“We just decided to keep her there [Miami] and give her a chance to get herself back together, and she’s doing much better right now,” he said.

Born Alpharita Anderson in Cuba, Rita is the mother of three of Bob Marley’s 13 children — David (Ziggy), Cedella and Stephen. They were married in 1966.

Along with Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt, she was a member of Marley’s backing vocalists I-Three. As a solo act her hits include Who Colt The Game, One Draw, and Harambe.

Ziggy is pleased with plans to observe the 40th anniversary of the Smile Jamaica Concert, which took place December 5, 1976 at National Heroes Park in Kingston with his father as headliner.

A tribute concert will be held at the Bob Marley Museum in St Andrew on December 3.

Although he was eight years old at the time of the concert and did not attend. He however, remembers the events which preceded it, primarily the assassination attempt on his father two days before the show.

“I have vivid memories of the shooting and all the activities which came with that. I can recall being together with my parents up in the hills as a lot of discussions were taking place… a lot of discussions as to what would happen next,” he said.

Bob and Rita, his manager Don Taylor, and a friend, were shot at their Hope Road home, which now houses the museum.

Marley subsequently left for The Bahamas and United Kingdom where he stayed for 16 months. He returned in 1978 for the One Love Peace Concert at the National Stadium in Kingston.

He died on May 11, 1981 of cancer at age 36.