Incredible photo-matched shirt worn on stage by reggae legend Bob Marley at the Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, California, on July 23, 1978, as part of the second North American leg of the Kaya Tour with The Wailers. The military-style short-sleeve shirt consists of faded Rastafari color patterns of yellow, red, and green, with loops to shoulders and wooden buttons; the majority of the shirt’s front buttons are missing, as is the left shoulder loop button. In fine condition, with expected wear from use.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the consignor: "In 1996 my friend gave me a shirt that Bob Marley's sister had given him after he had helped her with a personal matter. He had maybe four or five shirts made by Bob Marley's mother and gave me the smallest one because it fit me. He had dreadlocks to his knees and introduced me to Jimmy Cliff backstage at his concert so I really felt the story was true. In August 2020 after years of searching I finally found proof...a photo of Bob wearing the shirt on stage in the sun! July 23, 1978 Santa Barbara County."
Marley’s performance at the Santa Barbara Bowl was, even for his standards, electrifying. The concert took place on Haile Selassie’s birthday, and Marley started the show by announcing: ‘Jah Rastafari! Jah Rastafari! And as you know that today is the 23rd of July, the month of Judah, which is His Majesty’s birthday inna Babylon, y’all!’ The band then proceeded to play ‘Sun Is Shining,’ which, according to Marley experts, is among the rarest of all his live songs, with documentation turning up only one other instance of a full live rendition (Lenox, MA: 7/18/78).
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