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Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett, bassist with Bob Marley and the Wailers, dies aged 77
Influential musician also co-produced group’s albums and mentored many Jamaican artists
The news was confirmed on Saturday by Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s minister for culture, who wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “I share with you my deep regret at the passing of Aston Francis Barrett, popularly known as ‘Family Man’ or ‘Fams’ … He died at the University of Miami Hospital in Florida in the United States early this morning.” Along with his brother Carlton, Barrett played with groups including Bob Marley & the Wailers, the Hippy Boys and Lee “Scratch” Perry’s The Upsetters. In 2006, Barrett entered a legal battle with Island Records, claiming £60m in unpaid royalties for his production and songwriting work on the albums, but his campaign was unsuccessful.
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