Biography
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Born
22 November 1946
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Born In
Kingston, Jamaica
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Died
3 February 2024 (aged 77)
Aston "Family Man" Barrett (born Aston Francis Barrett in Kingston, Jamaica, on 22 November 1946; died 3 February 2024) was a Jamaican bass player. In 2012 he received a Lifetime Achievement award from Bass Player Magazine and in 2020 was selected as number-one by the staff of Bass Player Magazine in their ranking of ”20 legendary players who shaped the sound of electric bass".
He was one of the Barrett brothers (the other being Carlton "Carlie" Barrett) who played with Bob Marley and The Wailers and Lee Perry's The Upsetters.
It has been stated that Aston was the 'leader' of the backing band and responsible for many, if not all bass lines on Bob Marley's greatest hits, as well as having been active in co-producing Marley's albums and responsible for most overall song arrangements. An influential bassist that Flea (of Red Hot Chili Peppers) amongst many other famed bassists cite as an influence. He was the mentor of famed reggae session bassist Robbie Shakespeare of the duo Sly & Robbie and came to be considered one of the elder statesmen of reggae bass guitar playing.
In 2012 he received a Lifetime Achievement award from Bass Player Magazine. In 2020 he was selected as number-one by the staff of Bass Player Magazine, in their ranking of: ”20 legendary players who shaped the sound of electric bass". In 2021 he was honoured with the Order of Distinction (Commander class) in the National Honours and Awards on Jamaica’s 59th Anniversary of Independence.
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