Stephen Marley – Old Soul Unplugged 2023

The second son of Bob and Rita Marley, eight time Grammy winning musician and producer Stephen was born on April 20, 1972; he began his career as a precocious six-year old singing, dancing and playing percussion with his siblings in the group The Melody Makers whose first single “Children Playing in The Streets” was produced by their father in 1979 and released on Tuff Gong, the label founded by Bob in the late 60s. While still a teenager he assisted in the production of The Melody Makers’ albums including their three Best Reggae Album Grammy winners “Conscious Party” (Virgin Records, 1989) “One Bright Day” (Virgin Records, 1990) and “Fallen Is Babylon” (Elektra Entertainment, 1998). In 1993 Ziggy and Stephen founded Ghetto Youths International as a means of controlling their own music and helping upcoming artists. Stephen’s earliest solo production efforts for Ghetto Youths International includes his late grandmother’s (Cedella Booker) album “My Altar”, followed in 1995 by the Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers single “Works To Do” and younger brother Damian’s “10,000 Chariots”. In 1996 Damian released his debut album “Mr. Marley”, on the Ghetto Youths imprint, on which Stephen played several instruments and wrote most of the songs, as well as producing the album. The first project that brought Stephen’s production capabilities widespread attention was “Chant Down Babylon”, where he audaciously manipulated his father’s original vocal outtakes from the 1970s Island Records’ sessions, splicing them into duets with hip-hop and R&B artists, while updating the Wailers’ richly textured one-drop rhythms with an assortment of samples, loops and overdubs. “Chant Down Babylon” achieved its objective of bringing Bob’s music to a new generation of fans, earned a Grammy nomination, was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and has sold more than one million copies worldwide.  Stephen’s hip-hop infused dancehall beats were far more fluid and complex on Damian’s 2001 album “Half Way Tree” (Ghetto Youths/Motown), demonstrating Stephen’s equal dexterity in creating rugged roots reggae rhythms, which supported the well-crafted, substantial lyrics and Damian’s vocal flow. “Half Way Tree” yielded several hits in Jamaica, and internationally, including “More Justice” and “It Was Written” (featuring Capleton) and won the 2002 Grammy for Best Reggae album.  Stephen produced and contributed vocals to Damian’s single “Welcome to Jamrock”, the biggest reggae song of 2005 and still very popular today. Released in September 2005, “Welcome To Jamrock” (Tuff Gong/Ghetto Youths/Universal Republic) entered the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart at No. 7, a record setting opening week for a reggae artist; it was certified Gold and won the 2006 Reggae Album Grammy while the single was honored for the Best Alternative Hip Hop performance, another first for a Jamaican artist.  The success of “Welcome to Jamrock” increased the anticipation surrounding the release of Stephen’s first solo effort- “Mind Control” –which won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2007. In 2008, Marley released a refreshing version of the hit album with an acoustic version that gained the artist another Grammy for Best Reggae Album. In 2011 Stephen released his third solo album- “The Revelation, Pt.1: The Root of Life” that reconfirmed Stephen’s expansive capabilities as an affecting vocalist, a versatile lyricist and an accomplished instrumentalist while furthering his renown as an ingenious producer.  Stephen continued to showcase his talent for navigating between genres by effortlessly blending reggae with soul, hip hop and electronic beats on his fourth solo album; “Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life,” released in 2016. A robust reflection of his work, the album features songs with notable artists including; Rakim, Dead Prez, Wyclef Jean, Black Thought, Shaggy, Pitbull, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and more. For the past two years, Stephen and his team worked on the development production and promotion of the annual Kaya Fest. Now in its third year, the Kaya Fest is a music and awareness festival intended to educate the public on the many benefits of Cannabis. In 2019 the festival will expand with showcases in both Florida and Southern California.

Grammy® Winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member, Michael Edward Love, grew up under the Southern California sun where he soaked up a life of music, surf, sand and sport. Beginning his singing career as a young boy, Mike along with his cousin, Brian Wilson, frequently sang at family get-togethers and holiday gatherings. These early influences served as the inspiration to form the legendary group, The Beach Boys, which originally consisted of Mike and his cousins, Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson along with neighbor David Marks and High School friend Alan Jardine. On November 17, Love released a special double album through BMG entitled Unleash the Love. Featuring 13 previously unreleased songs and 14 re-recordings of Beach Boys classics, the album is a testament and continuation of Love’s remarkable career. The new tracks on the album range from rock, gospel, R&B and pop and celebrate Love’s connection to the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and his journey to find personal love and peace. In addition to the collection of Mike Love original songs, Unleash The Love features new versions of classic hits such as “California Girls,” “Help Me Rhonda,” and “Good Vibrations,” recorded by members of The Beach Boys touring band. On October 10th 2016, the hit “Good Vibrations,” which is widely considered one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of rock and roll, celebrated its 50th anniversary. In honor of this prolific time in the life of the Beach Boys, Mike released his highly-anticipated memoir titled GOOD VIBRATIONS: My Life as a Beach Boy, in September 2016— the book was published by Blue Rider Press, a member of Penguin Group (USA) and quickly made its way to the New York Times Best Seller list. Mike and the band commemorated the anniversary with a 50 Years of Good Vibrations tour. In 2017, The Beach Boys embarked on the Wild Honey World Tour, performing over 170 shows across the U.S. and Europe. The Beach Boys continue to tour today with an impressive list of dates planned for 2018. In the fall of 1961, Mike wrote the lyrics and melody to The Beach Boys' first song, "Surfin'," in collaboration with cousin Brian, and subsequently “Surfin' Safari” and “409,” which led to the signing of the band by Capitol Records. Following the song’s debut, Mike and Brian went on to co-author numerous hits, including eleven Top 10 singles in the first five years of the band. Hit after hit, Mike created many of the concepts, and wrote or co-wrote the lyrics and hooks to several of the most performed songs in pop music history including "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "I Get Around," "Surfin' Safari," "Help Me Rhonda," "Do It Again," "Kokomo,” “Surfin' USA” and the incomparable "California Girls," which was Bruce Johnston’s debut track as a member of The Beach Boys. For more than fifty years, Mike Love has been the lead singer and front man of The Beach Boys, taking the sounds of America's band to every corner of the globe. His distinctive and iconic vocal range is synonymous with fast-paced rock 'n' roll tracks, as well as many of the band’s softer ballads. Mike’s vocal versatility is central to many of the bands signature hits including: "Surfin' U.S.A.," "I Get Around," "California Girls," "Little Deuce Coupe," "Be True to Your School," "Little Saint Nick," "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "That's Not Me,” and “Wouldn't It Be Nice” from the Pet Sounds album. Beyond his unique persona and sound as the lead singer, Mike's dynamic bass vocals provided the foundation of the group and anchored the legendary Beach Boys harmonies. Love’s voice is a style of its own. He combines his steady bass/baritone with a whimsical intonation— indicative of the ultra-cool, self-confidence and innocence of the early 1960s. In December of 1967, The Beach Boys were invited to Paris to perform at a benefit for UNICEF. The curtain opened to a very distinguished front row including Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, George Harrison and John Lennon. At Maharishi's invitation, Mike, along with Carl, Alan and Dennis were initiated into the practice of Transcendental Meditation. Mike was profoundly affected by the first meditation experience, stating, "If enough people were to practice TM, the world would be a better place." He continues to practice TM today and supports organizations such as the David Lynch Foundation, which promote the vast benefits of Transcendental Meditation. In 1985, Mike Love had an idea to perform two shows to celebrate July 4th: The Beach Boys would play Philadelphia during the day and the Washington D.C. Mall later that evening. This resulted in record breaking attendance— with The Beach Boys performing live for over 1.5 million people in a single day. In 1988, Mike and the other members of The Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That same year, Mike co-wrote the #1 hit "Kokomo," with John Phillips of the Mamas and Papas, and producer Terry Melcher. This was 22 years after Mike co-authored the Beach Boys' #1 hit of the 60's, "Good Vibrations,"— marking the longest span of time between number one records of any artist in music history. Both "Good Vibrations" and "Kokomo" were nominated for Grammy® awards. "Kokomo" was also nominated for a Golden Globe® Award. In 2001, the band was the recipient of the Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1990, Mike was the first artist to respond to President George H. W. Bush's call for service as part of the Thousand Points of Light Initiative. Mike began StarServe, "Students Taking Action and Responsibility to Serve," enlisting high profile celebrities to inspire young people to serve their communities. More than twenty years later, Mike continues his commitment to young people. For his work in continued education, Mike was the recipient of the 2013 Seven Generations Award by City Year, a national education organization that identifies at risk students and encourages them to reach their full potential through mentorship. Mike is also a founding member of the Surfrider Foundation, and a longtime supporter of environmental causes. In 1992, Mike was a speaker at the Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro, and again on Earth Day 2000 on the Mall in Washington, D.C. In 2002, Love proudly carried the Olympic torch for the Salt Lake City, UT Olympic Games. In 2012, Mike Love, Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks reunited for their 29th studio album, That's Why God Made The Radio, and The Beach Boys' 50th Anniversary Tour. In 2013, The Beach Boys released a career-spanning, six-CD collection titled Made In California, which chronicled the band’s 50-year storied career from their earliest demos to their most recent recordings. Love executive-produced the new box set, which showcased more than seven and a half hours of Beach Boys classics and more than 60 previously unreleased gems including home demos, alternate takes and mixes and live concert, television and radio performances. The box set also featured an original, previously unreleased Beach Boys track “Goin’ To The Beach,” written by Love. In 2014, Mike debuted a solo single “Pisces Brothers” in tribute to The Beatles singer and his beloved friend, George Harrison. The track, which was released on George’s birthday, was inspired by the trip the two took to India in 1968. In 2014, Mike received The Ella Award, a lifetime achievement award by the Society of Singers. He joined a prestigious array of honorees including Ella Fitzgerald, Smokey Robinson, Elton John, Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. Emceed by longtime friend John Stamos, the night was filled with one-of-a-kind performances and tributes from a host of legendary performers and artists, including Mike’s fellow Beach Boys (Al Jardine, David Marks and Bruce Johnston) and the children of The Beach Boys (including Carnie and Wendy Wilson), as well as music legends, Bill Medley, Dean Torrence, Micky Dolenz, Christopher Cross, America, Rita Wilson and David Lee Roth. In addition, a special note of congratulations by Nancy Reagan was received and shared with the audience. Throughout his career, Mike has co-authored more than a dozen Top 10 Singles, cementing The Beach Boys legacy, alongside The Beatles and Michael Jackson, as the only artists to have produced twelve Top 10 Singles, within 5 years. Today, Mike is happily married to Jacquelyne Love, and is the proud father of eight children. Mike primarily resides on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. He continues to enjoy life on the road, performing over 150 sold-out shows a year all over the world.