Aston "Family Man" Barrett

Aston Francis Barrett was born on 22 November 1946 in Kingston, Jamaica.{{cite web |last1=Kaloi |first1=Stephanie |title=Aston 'Family Man' Barrett, Bob Marley & the Wailers Bassist, Dies at 77 |url=https://www.thewrap.com/aston-family-man-barrett-bob-marley-and-the-wailers-bassist-dies/ |website=TheWrap |access-date=4 February 2024 |date=4 February 2024 |archive-date=4 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204054308/https://www.thewrap.com/aston-family-man-barrett-bob-marley-and-the-wailers-bassist-dies/ |url-status=live }} He was the fourth of five children, and first son, of Wilfred and Violet Barrett.{{cite news |last1=Katz |first1=David |title=Aston 'Family Man' Barrett obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/04/aston-family-man-barrett |access-date=4 February 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=4 February 2024 |archive-date=4 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204214955/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/04/aston-family-man-barrett |url-status=live}}

Barrett sang along to soul music as a child, then learned the bass, building his first bass guitar from scratch.{{cite news |last1=Bugel |first1=Safi |title=Aston 'Family Man' Barrett, bassist with Bob Marley and the Wailers, dies aged 77 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/03/aston-family-man-barrett-bassist-with-bob-marley-and-the-wailers-dies-aged-77 |access-date=4 February 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=3 February 2024 |archive-date=3 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203220104/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/03/aston-family-man-barrett-bassist-with-bob-marley-and-the-wailers-dies-aged-77 |url-status=live }} As young men, Barrett and his younger brother Carlton earned a meager income as welders while doing session work on the side.{{cite book |last1=White |first1=Timothy |title=Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley |date=May 2, 2006 |publisher=Henry Holt and Company |isbn=9780805080865 |page=233 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h4nfr2cYAMQC |access-date=February 4, 2024}}

Along with his brother Carlton on drums, Barrett went on to play with Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Hippy Boys and Lee Perry's The Upsetters.{{cite news |url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Aston--Familyman--Barrett--Rockstone-Wailer_11292405 |title=Aston 'Familyman' Barrett: Rockstone Wailer |last=Campbell |first=Howard |date=20 April 2012 |newspaper=The Jamaica Observer |access-date=29 April 2012 |archive-date=31 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131195144/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Aston--Familyman--Barrett--Rockstone-Wailer_11292405 |url-status=live }}

Barrett was the mentor and teacher of Robbie Shakespeare of the duo Sly & Robbie.{{cite web |url=http://unitedreggae.com/articles/n1024/062612/interview-robbie-shakespeare |title=Interview: Robbie Shakespeare |last=Taylor |first=Angus |date=26 June 2012 |website=United Reggae |access-date=11 April 2019 |archive-date=20 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120010641/http://unitedreggae.com/articles/n1024/062612/interview-robbie-shakespeare |url-status=live }}

Barrett played a Fender Jazz Bass and used Acoustic 370 and Ampeg SVT bass amplifiers.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Bill |title=An interview with Aston "Family Man" Barrett |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/aston-family-man-barrett-interview |access-date=4 February 2024 |magazine=Bass Player |date=6 May 2023 |archive-date=14 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514110817/https://www.guitarworld.com/features/aston-family-man-barrett-interview |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Kevin |title=Legend: An Interview with Aston "Family Man" Barrett |url=https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/06/26/legend-an-interview-with-aston-family-man-barrett/ |access-date=4 February 2024 |work=No Treble |date=26 June 2014 |archive-date=4 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204220542/https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/06/26/legend-an-interview-with-aston-family-man-barrett/ |url-status=live }}

In 2006 Barrett filed a lawsuit against Island Records, the Wailers' label, seeking £60 million in unpaid royalties allegedly due him and his now deceased brother. The lawsuit was dismissed.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4772137.stm |title=Marley bassist loses royalty bid |date=15 May 2006 |website=BBC News |access-date=11 April 2019 |archive-date=18 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418210108/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4772137.stm |url-status=live }} The arguments by Island-Universal and the Marley family was that Barrett surrendered his rights to any further royalties in a 1994 settlement in exchange for several hundred thousand dollars. The judge agreed. As a result he faced about £2 million in legal costs for the trial, forcing him to sell two homes in Jamaica.{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Paul |date=16 May 2006 |title=Wailer with 52 children waits in vain for Marley's millions |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/may/16/topstories3.arts |access-date=28 October 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=28 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028214809/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/may/16/topstories3.arts |url-status=live }}

Barrett's "Family Man" nickname came about before he had any children of his own. Barrett foresaw his role as a band leader and started to call himself "Family Man". He subsequently fathered 41 children: 23 daughters and 18 sons. He also claimed to have 23 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-24238993 |title=Keeping Bob Marley's Legend alive |last=Youngs |first=Ian |date=25 September 2013 |website=BBC News |access-date=11 April 2019 |archive-date=18 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418210101/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-24238993 |url-status=live }}

Barrett died of heart failure after a series of strokes in Miami, Florida on 3 February 2024, at the age of 77.{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Isabell |title=Reggae Musician Aston "Family Man" Barrett Has Died At Age 77 |url=https://worldmusicviews.com/aston-family-man-barrett-has-died-at-age-77/ |access-date=3 February 2024 |publisher=WMV |date=3 February 2024 |archive-date=3 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203165847/https://worldmusicviews.com/aston-family-man-barrett-has-died-at-age-77/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Aston 'Family Man' Barrett, Bassist and Rhythmic Backbone of Bob Marley & The Wailers, Dead at 77 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aston-family-man-barrett-bassist-bob-marley-amp-the-wailers-dead-obituary-1234960251/ |access-date=3 February 2024 |publisher=Rolling Stone |date=3 February 2024 |archive-date=3 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203180519/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aston-family-man-barrett-bassist-bob-marley-amp-the-wailers-dead-obituary-1234960251/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Risen |first=Clay |date=2024-02-07 |title=Aston Barrett, 77, Bass-Playing Force With Bob Marley and Wailers, Dies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/07/arts/music/aston-barrett-dead.html?smid=url-share |access-date=2024-02-07 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=7 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207192138/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/07/arts/music/aston-barrett-dead.html?smid=url-share |url-status=live }}

File:Aston Barret - February 2012 2.jpg

Bass Player magazine has commented that "Perhaps no music evokes the notion of bass and bass tone like reggae and dub, and no two words are more synonymous with those plucking practices than Family Man."{{cite web|date=1 January 2020|title=The iconic bassists who developed the sound of low-end as we know it|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/20-legendary-players-who-shaped-the-sound-of-electric-bass|access-date=1 January 2020|website=BassPlayer|archive-date=25 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325132947/https://www.guitarworld.com/features/20-legendary-players-who-shaped-the-sound-of-electric-bass|url-status=live}} Ali Campbell, frontman of UB40, credits Aston Barrett and his brother as the inventors of reggae as we know it, stating, "That all happened before reggae, which kind of happened in about '69, you know, when reggae as we know it was invented by the Barrett brothers, I'd say."{{cite web|date=4 February 2011|title=Reggae is as influential as it was in the 60's and 70's|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12366774|access-date=11 April 2019|publisher=BBC News|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925152924/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12366774|url-status=live}} Rock musician John Lennon expressed admiration for the unique bass sound originating from Jamaica, while discussing his plans for a comeback album in early 1980 while listening to the Bob Marley & The Wailers album Burnin', stating, "You couldn't get that sound in New York. No way!"{{cite book|last=Goldman|first=Albert|title=The Lives of John Lennon|date=1988|publisher=Bantam Press|page=644|author-link=Albert Goldman}}

Ziggy Marley, eldest son of Bob Marley, emphasizes the significance of Aston Barrett's bass alongside Carlton's drumming in his father's music, noting, "They have their own style."{{cite AV media |people=Macdonald, Kevin (director) |date=2012 |title=Marley |medium=Documentary film |language=en |url=http://www.magpictures.com/marley/ |access-date=11 April 2019 |archive-date=21 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721235739/http://www.magpictures.com/marley/ |url-status=live }} Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones acknowledges the Wailers' rapid improvement with Barrett's addition on bass.{{cite book |title=Life |last=Richards |first=Keith |author-link=Keith Richards |page=126 |date=2010 |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson}} Robbie Shakespeare of Sly & Robbie fame hailed Barrett as a master bassist, attributing much of his own success to Barrett's influence.{{cite web |url=http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/1347/fcj-interviews-reggae-greats-sly-dunbar-and-robbie-shakespeare/ |title=FCJ interviews Sly and Robbie |last=Rao |first=Shivu |date=19 July 2009 |website=Fog City Journal |access-date=11 April 2019 |archive-date=4 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404030501/http://www.fogcityjournal.com/wordpress/1347/fcj-interviews-reggae-greats-sly-dunbar-and-robbie-shakespeare/ |url-status=live }}

• 2012: Lifetime Achievement award from Bass Player Magazine{{cite news |url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Bass-Player-honour-for-Family-Man_12837003 |title=Bass Player honour for 'Family Man' |last=Campbell-Livingston |first=Cecelia |date=26 October 2012 |newspaper=The Jamaica Observer |access-date=27 October 2012 |archive-date=28 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028193458/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Bass-Player-honour-for-Family-Man_12837003 |url-status=live }}
• 2020: Selected as number one by the staff of Bass Player Magazine, in their ranking of "20 legendary players who shaped the sound of electric bass"{{cite web |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/20-legendary-players-who-shaped-the-sound-of-electric-bass |title=The iconic bassists who developed the sound of low-end as we know it |date=1 January 2020 |website=BassPlayer |access-date=1 January 2020 |archive-date=25 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325132947/https://www.guitarworld.com/features/20-legendary-players-who-shaped-the-sound-of-electric-bass |url-status=live }}
• 2021: Received the Jamaican Order of Distinction{{cite web |title=Honours in order Ernest Ranglin, Aston Barrett, Lt Stitchie, The Mighty Diamonds to receive national awards |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20210808/honours-order |website=Jamaica Gleaner |date=8 August 2021 |access-date=8 August 2021 |archive-date=8 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808072143/https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20210808/honours-order |url-status=live }}

• Familyman in Dub [197X]{{cite web |last1=T |first1=Mr. |title=Aston "Family Man" Barrett & The Wailers Band – Soul Constitution: Instrumentals & Dubs 1971–1982 |url=https://www.reggae-vibes.com/reviews/2018/04/aston-family-man-barrett-the-wailers-band-soul-constitution-instrumentals-dubs-1971-1982/ |website=Reggae Vibes |access-date=4 February 2024 |date=13 April 2018 |archive-date=9 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209045748/https://www.reggae-vibes.com/reviews/2018/04/aston-family-man-barrett-the-wailers-band-soul-constitution-instrumentals-dubs-1971-1982/ |url-status=live }}

• Aston Barrett – Familyman in Dub [197X]
• Horace Andy & Winston Jarrett & Wailers – The Kingston Rock [1974]{{cite web |last1=Magni |first1=Erik |title=Horace Andy and Winston Jarrett – The Kingston Rock |url=https://unitedreggae.com/articles/n2112/071516/horace-andy-and-winston-jarrett-the-kingston-rock |website=United Reggae |access-date=4 February 2024 |date=15 July 2016 |archive-date=5 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205035504/https://unitedreggae.com/articles/n2112/071516/horace-andy-and-winston-jarrett-the-kingston-rock |url-status=live }}
• Various Artists – Cobra Style [197X]
• Various Artists – Juvenile Delinquent [1981]

• Bob Marley and the Wailers – Confrontation [1983]{{cite news |last1=Mills |first1=Claude |title=Family row deepens over health of Wailers bassist 'Family Man' |url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2022/09/21/family-row-deepens-over-health-of-wailers-bassist-family-man/ |access-date=4 February 2024 |work=Jamaica Observer |date=21 September 2022 |archive-date=9 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209045759/https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2022/09/21/family-row-deepens-over-health-of-wailers-bassist-family-man/ |url-status=live }}
• Bob Marley and the Wailers – Exodus [1977]
• Judy Mowatt- Black Woman [1980]

• Aston Barrett – Familyman in Dub [197X]
• Alpha Blondy & Wailers – Jerusalem [1986]
• Keith Hudson – Pick A Dub [1974]
• Bob Marley and the Wailers – Catch a Fire (1973){{cite web |last1=Sinclair |first1=David |title=Bob Marley & The Wailers – Catch A Fire |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/bob-marley/bob-marley-catch-a-fire/ |website=UDiscoverMusic |access-date=4 February 2024 |date=13 April 2023 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002160740/https://www.udiscovermusic.com/bob-marley/bob-marley-catch-a-fire/ |url-status=live }}
• Bob Marley and the Wailers – I Shot the Sheriff
• Bob Marley and the Wailers – Jamming
• Bob Marley and the Wailers – Three Little Birds
• Augustus Pablo – King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (1976){{Cite book |last1=Barrow |first1=Steve |last2=Dalton |first2=Peter |title=Reggae: 100 Essential CDs |pages=121–122 |year=1999 |publisher=Rough Guides |url=https://archive.org/details/reggae100essenti00barr/page/121/mode/1up |isbn=1-85828-567-4 |author1-link=Steve Barrow}}
• Burning Spear – Marcus Garvey (1975)
• Burning Spear – Dry & Heavy (1977)
• Burning Spear – Marcus' Children – originally released as Social Living (1978)
• Peter Tosh – Legalize It [1976]

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Aston Barrett}}

• {{discogs artist|Aston "Family Man" Barrett}}
• {{AllMusic | id= aston-barrett-mn0000605410 | title= Aston Barrett}}
• {{IMDb name|0057067}}

{{Bob Marley and the Wailers}}

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Category:1946 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:20th-century Jamaican male musicians

Category:21st-century Jamaican male musicians

Category:Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica

Category:Jamaican bass guitarists

Category:Jamaican reggae musicians

Category:Jamaican Rastafarians

Category:The Wailers members

Category:Commanders of the Order of Distinction

Category:21st-century Jamaican musicians

Category:20th-century bass guitarists

Category:21st-century bass guitarists