AS the legend who put reggae on the world stage and a statesman in his native Jamaica, Bob Marley will forever live on in our hearts as one of the 20th century’s most important and influential entertainment icons.
In this brave new digital world, he has the second-highest social media following of any posthumous celebrity, with the official Bob Marley Facebook page drawing more than 74 million fans, ranking it among the Top 20 of all Facebook pages and Top 10 among celebrity pages. Marley’s music catalogue has sold millions of albums worldwide
Thirty years after its original release, Bob Marley & The Wailers’, Legend album, shared the top of the charts, holding the No. 5 spot on Billboard’s 200 Album Chart among Maroon 5 (#1), Jeezy (#2), Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack (#3), and Ariana Grande (#4). It also became the longest-charting album in the history of Billboard magazine’s Catalog Albums chart and remains the world’s best-selling reggae album.
Now Hard Rock Cafe is inspiring fans to get together and feel alright with the launch of its latest music-inspired merchandise line. The Bob Marley Signature Series: Edition 34 shirt and collectable pin, inspired by the iconic reggae artist Bob Marley, supports charity partner City of Hope. The limited-edition collectible tee and pin is now available at hardrock.com and at Rock Shops at Hard Rock Cafe’s across the UK and worldwide.
Cedella Marley, the first-born daughter of Bob Marley and CEO of the Bob Marley Group of Companies, worked alongside Hard Rock to design the signature series tee dedicated to her father. Cedella commented, “The partnership between Hard Rock and City of Hope keeps my father’s legacy alive, while making a difference in the lives of people with serious illnesses. Our father spent his life encouraging people around the world to come together for the greater good, forget their troubles and be inspired, a spirit that is captured by this charitable effort.”
Fifteen percent of sales from Hard Rock’s Bob Marley Signature Series products will benefit City of Hope, a leading research and treatment centre for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. The limited-edition merchandise line includes:
· Bob Marley Signature Series Shirt – black unisex shirt featuring Bob Marley’s side profile along with a green, yellow and red burst of the Rasta colours that are synonymous with the artist’s music and beliefs
· Bob Marley Signature Series Collectable Pin – guitar-shaped pin featuring Bob Marley’s signature alongside Hard Rock’s logo and city drop
Kelley Morris, City of Hope Executive commented, “Hard Rock’s newest line of Signature Series merchandise will help City of Hope continue our mission to provide outstanding care. It’s partnerships like these that help us to conduct innovative research and offer vital education programs focused on eliminating serious illnesses.”
Kellie Brown, Philanthropy Manager for Hard Rock International said, “As a true music legend and advocate for social change, Bob Marley was an ideal choice for Hard Rock’s newest Signature Series line. We are honoured to work with the Marley family and couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Bob Marley’s life and music than to help inspire fans everywhere to make a difference.”
