The Wailers

No one could have predicted the enormous worldwide influence the Wailers were to have when Bob Marley began singing as a teenager in the early '60s. From the rough streets of Kingston's infamous Trench Town ghetto, where the Wailers got their start, to selling millions of records and packing theaters the world over, Marley has become one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century. Granted, today the legend has overshadowed the man himself, but for those too young to have seen him, the Wailers remain the closest we're likely to come. Today the band is a celebration of Marley's music. Composed of musicians who played alongside the reggae legend, both live and in the studio, the eleven-piece band is led by bassist Aston "Familyman" Barrett. His bone-rattling, take-no-prisoners approach is almost as recognizable as Marley's own voice; tunes such as "I Shot the Sheriff," "Buffalo Soldier," "Exodus" -- even the late Peter Tosh's herbal anthem, "Legalize It" -- were all graced by Familyman's tasty licks. Heading up the group is former City Heat vocalist Gary "Nesta" Pines, considered the best frontman the Wailers have had since Bob himself.