Bob Marley tribute act continues to spread reggae icon's message

The group will perform in Stafford next month

A Bob Marley tribute act say they are thrilled to be playing in Stafford - 44 years after the reggae icon's last UK gig took place in the town.

The star performed at New Bingley Hall in Stafford on 13 July 1980 before he died of skin cancer a year later.

Fans paid £4.50 for tickets, obviously unaware it would be his last UK show.

Stephen Morrison, founder of Legend Live who play at Stafford's Gatehouse in April, said they were still spreading his musical message.

Mr Morrison, who saw Marley play twice in Jamaica, said he did not know about his link with Stafford, but loved performing the songs that always energise the audience.

Fans, who had no idea they were witnessing Marley's last UK show, paid £4.50 for the privilege

"We lived across the road from the national stadium [in Jamaica]... and all the concerts used to come there and me living across the road, my mother had a bar so everybody knew it, so I used to get into all the concerts," he said.

"That was the one I can remember was the one with him and Stevie Wonder... where Wonder played and Bob Marley came on after, that was in the 70s."

He said he was such a popular performer because of his "music, his message and himself".

"He wasn't driven by a material world, he was driven by the fact that he knew he had to do something to help people musically, lyrically and energise everybody," he added.

"If you notice now, if you don't feel too good and you put on a Bob Marley song and you know, skank it."

'So passionate about Marley'

He praised One Love, the recent film about the singer and Kingsley Ben-Adir's portrayal.

Bob Marley, who exported reggae across the world, died from skin cancer a year after the show in Stafford in 1980

He said the Marley's sometime watched their gigs online and his group, who have performed together for 18 years, were looking forward to playing in Stafford.

"We're so looking forward to it because everywhere we have been so far has sold out," he said.

"The guys in the band are all so passionate about Bob Marley, some of them have actually met him, that's how close we are to the Marley's.

"We're continuing to spread the music and the message of Bob Marley and The Wailers..."