Remembering Aston “Family Man” Barrett (1946-2024)
Go back 21 February, 2024
Many of us European reggae- and dub heads grew up with and first got in touch with this culture through the already timeless music of Bob Marley & The Wailers. The Wailers band needs to be emphasized in this, because without his faithful and talented musicians, Marley’s music might have sounded very different and less specific as it does today.
Next to famous Jamaicans by the likes of Earl Lindo, Tyrone Downie, Alvin Patterson and Junior Marvin, there were two famous brothers that played an essential role in defining the Wailers’ musical colour and sound: Carlton “Carly” and Aston “Family Man” Barrett. One drop master Carly was murdered in 1987 and after being inactive and ill for a while, his brother Family Man passed away last week.
Being one of the leading players of the legendary Fender Bass, Family Man first appeared on the Wailers line-up in 1970, when they released their ‘Soul Rebels’ album, an astounding Lee “Scratch” Perry production. He remained part of the band until the release of ‘Confrontation’, their thirteenth and final studio album.
Next to that, Fams also played numerous basslines for artists such as, amongst many others, Burning Spear, Linval Thompson, Al Campbell and Augustus Pablo, and released loads of tunes on his own Fam’s record label, both as a musician and as a producer.
Another incredibly influential Jamaican musician (Family Man was Robbie Shakespeare’s teacher and mentor, to give an example) has left us. Rest In Musical Peace, Aston “Family Man” Barrett.