Reggae icon Aston 'Family Man' Barrett, Bob Marley's bassist, dies - BBC News

Aston Barrett, bassist for Bob Marley and the Wailers, was a key player in the growth of reggae.

6 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Aston Barrett continued to perform with The Wailers into the 2010sAston Barrett, the bassist of the legendary reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers, has died at the age of 77.

"Family Man", as he was known, was born in 1946 and grew up in the Jamaican capital, Kingston.

Announcing the death, his family said Barrett had been through a "long medical battle" but gave no details.

He was a key figure in the growth of reggae. He played on nearly all the Wailers albums as well as for Burning Spear, Peter Tosh and many other acts.

In a social media post on Saturday, Barrett's son Aston Barrett Jr said: "With the heaviest of hearts, we share the news of the passing of our beloved Aston 'Familyman' Barrett after a long medical battle."

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