ZIGGY Marley and the Melody Makers won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording in 1989 with Conscious Party.

The group comprised four of reggae legend Bob Marley’s children: Ziggy, Stephen, Sharon and Cedella. Conscious Party, their third album, was released by Virgin Records in April 1988. It sold over one million copies, reached number 23 on the Billboard 200 Album chart, and number 26 on the magazine’s R&B Album tally.

Interestingly, Conscious Party was produced by the husband-and-wife team of Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth, members of the American new wave band Talking Heads.

Musicians who worked on Conscious Party included Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and veteran session guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith who recorded and toured with Bob Marley.

Two songs from the set made the Billboard charts. Tomorrow People reached number 16 on the Mainstream Rock chart, and number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Tumblin’ Down fared better, topping the R&B Singles chart. It also reached number one on the Dance Music Maxi Singles Sales chart and number 28 on the Dance Music Club Play chart.

With those credentials, the Marleys were favourites to take the Grammy.

Jimmy Cliff’s Hanging Fire, UB40’s UB40, Toots in Memphis by Toots and the Maytals and Chrissie Hynde’s Breakfast in Bed were the other nominees in 1989.

Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers won two more Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Recording — 1990’s One Bright Day and 1998’s Fallen is Babylon.

Ziggy won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2007 with Love is My Religion. Stephen has won three Grammys as a solo act and produced his brother Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley’s Grammy-winning album Welcome to Jamrock.