Reggae icon Bunny Wailer, last Wailers member, dies aged 73
Bunny Wailer founded the Wailers with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh
Bunny Wailer, the legendary Jamaican reggae singer who founded the Wailers with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh and was the last surviving founding member, has died at a hospital after suffering a stroke. He was 73.
"This is a great loss for Jamaica and for Reggae," said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, calling him "a respected elder statesman of the Jamaican music scene."
Bunny Wailer, the legendary Jamaican reggae singer who founded the Wailers with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh and was the last surviving founding member, has died at a hospital after suffering a stroke. He was 73.
"This is a great loss for Jamaica and for Reggae," said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, calling him "a respected elder statesman of the Jamaican music scene."
Wailer's given name was Neville O'Riley Livingston but he was known affectionately as Bunny Wailer, Bunny Livingston or Jah B. He came from Trench Town, a poor inner city community of Kingston that went on to inspire one of the Wailers' hits.
In recent years, the father of 13 suffered several strokes. He died on Tuesday after being hospitalized since December for his latest stroke, according to the culture ministry.
His wife, Jean Watt, went missing in May 2020. Her whereabouts remain unknown.