Still Wailing! The legendary Wailers release latest hit “One World, One Prayer.”

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

The incomparable and legendary Wailers Band has recently released a new song called “One World, One Prayer.” The song is focused on unity, love, and inclusion beyond cultural differences.

The track, which puts all music lovers on notice, is asking for universal unity through prayer, and could not have come at a better time in light of the current global situation. It is a collaboration with the international titan “Farruko”, the Jamaican superstar “Shaggy” and continues the legacy of “Bob Marley” alongside Cedella Marley and her son Skip Marley.

The single was produced and written by multiple Grammy winner Emilio Estefan and recorded at Crescent Moon Studios in Miami, FL. “One World, One Prayer” fuses Jamaican reggae with the sounds of the urban Latin music too.

“When I wrote the song about two years ago, I wrote it thinking about how we, as human beings, have to love each other more, be kinder to each other and to nature,” said Emilio Estefan,

Estefan said he had no idea that this song would become so relevant today, but it all goes to show how as humans, everyone needs to appreciate the simple things like love, family, and community because, in the end, we are all One World, One Heart.

Emilio Estefan is a: musician, songwriter, record and television producer, best-selling author, filmmaker, and cultural ambassador. He has shaped and directed the careers of many musical talents, including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Jon Secada, Jennifer López, and many others.

To understand why this particular band is called legendary, one has to know the history of The Wailers as in (Bob Marley and The Wailers). Throughout the 70s and right until Marley’s death in 1981, this was the band that shelled down the iconic riddims for Bob’s anthems  such as: Stiff-Necked Fools, No Woman No Cry, and One Love just to name a few.

The original Wailers consisted of: Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, Aston “Family Man” Barrett (bass) and Carlton Barrett (drums). After Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer quit the band in 1974, Marley began touring with some new band members.

The new band included the Barrett brothers: Junior Marvin and Al Anderson on lead guitar, Tyrone Downie and Earl “Wya” Lindo on keyboards, and Alvin “Seeco” Patterson on percussion. The “I Threes”, consisting of: Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths, and Marley’s wife, Rita, provided backing vocals.

Over the years, the band has had several names: Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Teenagers, The Wailing Rude-boys, The Wailing Wailers, and The Wailers. It is important to note that the late Bob Marley’s wish was to have the group continue making music.

From listening to the track “One World, One Prayer,” it seems like Marley got what he always wanted. From the distinguished cracking sound of the talking drums it’s no doubt that this music has The Wailers stamped all over it.

The message starting from “Shaggy” saying “It’s the Wailers,” remained positive right to the very end. This is another staple of this world-class Reggae band. After all, the late lead- vocalist of this band once said “Rastaman Vibration Yeah Positive.”

I had a chance to speak with Mr. Aston Barrett Jr., who is the bassist and leader of this legendary Reggae band, about: the fans, the music, their new song and the way forward musically.  “I feel honored and privileged. I also give thanks to my father definitely.” Barrett Jr is the son of the famous Aston Barrett Family-man as in Bob Marley’s original Bassist.

 “As the leader of the band and being a Wailer, we have to live what we preach. We are not perfect, but we try our best to strive for perfection. I take being a Wailers seriously. If I am doing anything on my own, I do my stuff, but when it comes to Wailers, I have to keep that Barrett sound, that dominant sound, that Wailers sound.”

The group has an album coming out soon and I asked Barrett what can fans expect of this new album, he answered, “You gonna hear some new styles on that album. You know, Bob Marley and the Wailers established something that was so universal and so unique.

Barrett Jr has not let his guard down musically. In 2017, he produced a track called “The Struggle Discontinues,” on the album “Stony Hill” for Junior Gong aka Damian Marley. It earned him a Grammy for his work.

One World, One Prayer can be hear on YouTube.

Special thanks to Mr. Jesse Jones of Jones and Jones Production and Sony for making this piece possible.