Donald Kinsey, former Guitarist for Bob Marley and the Wailers, has died. According to reports, he died on February 6th at the age of 70 in Indiana, where he was born and raised.
Kinsey’s death marks the death of the second Wailer for this month as bassist Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett passed away on February 3rd at 77 years old in a hospital in Miami. Kinsey was born in Gary, Indiana, in 1953 and was a Blues artist following in the footsteps of his father, Big Daddy Kinsey, before he met Bob Marley in 1975 when the latter asked him to join the band Bob Marley and the Wailers.
He joined the band and recorded on the Rastaman Vibration album, released on April 30th, 1976, at Harry J studio in Kingston. Kinsey was immensely talented, and his refrains are heard prominently in several tracks, including “Johnny Was,” “Roots Rock Reggae,” and “Want More.”
Kinsey’s death was confirmed on Facebook by Lennie Chen, manager of The Wailers band.
“It’s a very sad time for family , friends and fans as familyman has passed away and 4 days after his passing we lost @sirdonaldkinsey .. prayers go out to these legends who left us music that will live on , give thanks for their contributions to the music world .. RIP Fams and Donald,” he wrote in a post.
in another post, he wrote, “With a heavy heart we have lost another legend and dear friend @sirdonaldkinsey 4 days after the passing of Familyman .. this is a lot to handle at this time another Wailers warrior gone home to rest .. RIP Donald and Fams your legacy lives on forever and your contribution to the music world will never die. Condolences to family, friends and fans. RIP.”
Kinsey, who also performed widely with Peter Tosh, was memorialized by the late artist’s estate.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Donald Kinsey, an extraordinary guitarist and a key member of Tosh’s Word, Sound and Power band. Donald’s incredible talent and spirit were instrumental in shaping the sound that defined an era of reggae music. His contributions to the music industry and his work alongside Peter will forever be remembered and cherished. Today, we honor his legacy and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and fans around the world. Rest in Power, Donald Kinsey, our beloved brother. Your music will continue to inspire generations to come,” the tribute read.
