Late reggae icon Peter Tosh receives Jamaica honor
FILE - In this Feb. 1979 file photo, Jamaican reggae singer Peter Tosh is shown in the office of a record company in Hollywood, California. For his musical contributions, Tosh's daughter, Niambe, received on Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, the posthumous "Order of Merit" for her father, during the island's annual national heroes ceremony. Tosh, a founding member of the reggae band The Wailers along Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, was killed in 1987 at age 42 by robbers who broke into his Jamaican home. (AP Photo/File)
FILE - In this Dec. 16, 1978 file photo, Mick Jagger, left, of the Rolling Stones, joins Jamaica's reggae musician Peter Tosh during a rehearsal for NBC's ?Saturday Night Live," program in New York. For his musical contributions, Tosh's daughter, Niambe, received on Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, the posthumous "Order of Merit" for her father, during the island's annual national heroes ceremony. Tosh, a founding member of the reggae band The Wailers along Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, was killed in 1987 at age 42 by robbers who broke into his Jamaican home. (AP Photo/File)
KINGSTON, Jamaica » Jamaica’s government is honoring firebrand reggae star Peter Tosh 25 years after his murder.
Tosh’s daughter Niambe received the posthumous “order of merit” today for her father’s musical contributions during a national awards ceremony. It’s Jamaica’s third-highest honor.
Tosh is one of Jamaica’s musical giants. He was a founding member of the Wailers, forming the three-man core of the group with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. Tosh left the band in 1973.
His solo albums and his work with the Wailers helped make reggae known internationally.
The outspoken Tosh was known for denouncing apartheid and calling for the legalization of marijuana. Fans say the lanky, baritone singer and guitarist was a mesmerizing performer.
Tosh was killed in 1987 by robbers. He was 42.
