In a service befitting his status as one of reggae’s premier musicians, Aston “Familyman” Barrett” got a rousing sendoff at the Holy Family Episcopal Church in Miami Gardens on February 24.
A full house of family, musicians, and artists gathered to pay respect to the former Wailers bassist and band leader who died on February 3 in Miami at age 77.
Several of his 41 children attended the service, as well as Julian and Rohan Marley, sons of Bob Marley, with whom Barrett recorded and toured the world during the 1970s.
Julian Marley, winner of this year’s Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, said it was important for him to be there.
“Everything I know about music, I learn from Familyman, Carly, and Bob Marley, dem three man dey a mi teachers. All other Wailers fall in place,” he said.
Carlton “Carly” Barrett was drummer for The Wailers and Familyman’s younger brother. He was murdered in Kingston, Jamaica in 1987 while Bob Marley died from cancer in May, 1981.
Aston Barrett Jr, accompanied by Julian Marley and Inner Circle keyboardist Bernard “Touter” Harvey, led a band in tribute to the stalwart musician who first met Marley in the late 1960s while he was a member of The Upsetters, house band for producer Lee “Scratch” Perry.
They performed rocking versions of He’s A Legend, Rastaman Chant, Natty Dread,
So Much Things to Say and Jamming which had the congregation singing along.
Another service for Aston “Familyman” Barrett is scheduled for March 5 in Kingston.
Also attending the service were Lennie Chen, manager of The Wailers, Oliver Mair, Jamaica’s Consul General to Miami, Eddy Edwards of the Grace Jamaica Jerk Festival, Roger Lewis and Trevor “Skatta” Bonnick of Inner Circle, Richie Daley of Third World, keyboardist Pablove Black, Mykal Rose, Causion and bassist Paul Fakhourie.
Officiating was Reverend Horace D. Ward while the eulogy was delivered by Barrett’s son Audie.
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