Bob Marley: One Love film tells the story behind the reggae legend and his path to becoming one. We also know about the people close to him. But were Don Taylor and Bob Marley close? Why did he take a bullet for the reggae superstar?
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for Bob Marley: One Love, so proceed with caution.
Who Was Don Taylor?
From 1975 up until his death in 1981, Don Taylor was the manager of Bob Marley. Because of his experience with the artist, Taylor was able to write a memoir called Marley and Me: The Real Bob Marley Story. It was published in 1994.
The memoir shares some important aspects of Don Taylor and Bob Marley's lives, which were alike in so many ways. Both men were born in Jamaica and had white fathers.
When Taylor was born, his 13-year-old mother named him after her current lover, someone with a Taylor surname.
He was later turned over to his biological father, who later became an absentee parent. This allowed Taylor to live in several homes under the name Donald Kidd.
When he turned 13, Taylor lived by himself in Kingston, where he was a pimp and a hustler. He got a chance to go to the US when he was 16, thanks to singer Jackie Wilson.
As a manager, Taylor had other clients, such as Soul II Soul and Martha and the Vandellas.
Don Taylor and Bob Marley's Relationship Explained
Apart from being Bob Marley's manager, Don Taylor was the artist's trusted confidante. He helped advise the artist about his career and also handled difficult negotiations in the industry.
Because of his relentless pursuit of deals, he made sure that Marley and the band were not exploited. This also helped future reggae artists to be respected on the global stage.
Eventually, Taylor and Marley had a falling out. A podcast also revealed that Marley allegedly beat up Taylor in a Gabonese hotel room in 1979. This event was said to have inspired Marley's song, Bad Card.
He was engaged in legal disputes over the estate of the late singer. Some also questioned how he handled Marley's finances and artistic direction.
His autobiography, So Much Things to Say: My Life as Bob Marley's Manager, was published in 1995. This book made several claims against Marley.
Who Was Behind the 1976 Shooting?
In 1976, there was an assassination attempt on Marley's life. In the incident, Taylor, Marley, and his wife, Rita, were shot.
The reports revealed that Taylor stood between Marley and the gunman, which caused him to get shot in the head.
Marley sustained a gunshot wound on his arm and chest. Rita also got shot in the head. Miraculously, the trio survived the assassination attempt.
There were reports that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was behind the failed assassination attempt.
During that time, Marley's music had a growing influence on "the youth in black nations" and "young whites in America." The CIA back then was active in black countries while the Cold War was going on.
The CIA accused Marley as a supporter of the prime minister of Jamaica at that time, Michael Manley. They were trying to remove him from power. Marley has since denied the claims made by the CIA.
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