First Ladies of Reggae (I-Three)

Marcia Griffiths


Jamaica's longest-running and perhaps biggest female vocalist ever. Griffiths began as a teenager in Coxsone's Studio One, racking up hit after hit, then joined with paramour Bob Andy as Bob & Marcia for the Top Five U.K. pop hit "Young, Gifted and Black." She formed The I Threes to back Bob Marley's international tours and recordings from 1974-1980 and scored a massive international hit with "Electric Boogie" in the '80s.
Bio by Roger Steffens


Love her, but she turned "resort reggae" a few decades into her career. In my opinion, she's still one of the best all time female reggae vocalists.







Judy Mowatt


Although the music business has seen hundreds of gifted female artists, there has been, but a handful who compose their own music. JUDY MOWATT, who for years was a key member of BOB MARLEY'S 'I-THREE', is one of those rare women who control their artistic destiny. As a result, she has achieved an impressive chain of accomplishments She became the first female singer nominated for a GRAMMY in the category of reggae music when her 'WORKING WONDERS' LP was nominated in 1985. She was the first female reggae artist to appear on LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, when she made her debut that same year. Her 'BLACK WOMAN' LP is considered by many critics to be the greatest reggae LP done by a female artiste. It was the first reggae LP recorded by a woman acting as her own producer.
bostontheological.org


FUN FACT: Mowatt has a daughter with Reggae legend Freddie McGregor.





Rita Marley


Alpharita Constantia Anderson, better known as Rita Marley is the widow of legendary Reggae musician Bob Marley, and a member of the trio the I Threes, Bob Marley's back up singers...In the mid sixties Rita was singing with a trio named The Soulettes who were recording for Studio One, when she met Bob Marley. The Soulettes became the I Threes... Rita married Bob on 10 February 1966, and then became a singer in his backing vocals group.
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