Hello and welcome to the witness podcast with me Mike Lanchin and today we're going

back 40 years to December of 1976 when gunman tried to kill the most famous reggae

artist of all time Bob Marley. I've been speaking to Nancy Burke, who

was at the singer's house in Kingston, Jamaica on that fateful night.

Greetings in the name of his majesty in gray ice,

I sclassified.

Jha, Rast the faraway, Rastaman Vibrations,

Passity. When performing Bob had an extra light, you know?

It was always engaging.

You couldn't turn your back on it.

I love their music. I love his lyrics. I love the beat. I love the band.

So it was a great privilege to be there backstage in the bus going to shows.

The nights are long but I would never change anything.

Nancy Burke live next door to Bob Marley in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica.

She was the girlfriend of his art designer and became part of his large entourage.

It was the 1970s and Marley was leading the way as the Caribbean island became the reggae capital of the world.

What was the atmosphere at the house like?

Who was coming and going? Obviously a lot of men, musicians and

there were Rastafarians and there were you know foreigners would drop bag, kids

from downtown would come back. It was just a real mix. Bob being of course always in the center of things and he had moved from downtown to uptown. So yes, of course there were people who came by to get money, people who came by looking for help.

He was a magnet. You know, I was in a note and just observed them reasoning under the trees, playing football, practicing music. Dred, I did read now.

I did read now.

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