This is the fourth in the Jamaica Observer’s Entertainment Desk’s series for Reggae Month titled Princess Black.

The I-Three is world-renowned for providing backing vocals for Bob Marley. Its members, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt, and Rita Marley, also had sterling solo careers, which, according to Mowatt, were highly supported by the “Reggae King”.

“Bob was extremely supportive. He took us on the road for him. He made us open for him during that huge European tour in 1980. Back then, it was Smokey Robinson, Betty Wright, and other popular R&B acts that usually opened for him. I mean, he was pulling audiences of 80,000 and 100,000 and every record company wanted their artistes to open for him. But, he made some unknown women, known. We were known in Jamaica, but not in Europe and Bob introduced us to people while touring. It was a gigantic opportunity,“ he told the Jamaica Observer.

Marley died on May 11, 1981 at the age of 36.

Mowatt added that there was never any conflict in balancing her solo career and her obligations to Marley.

“To balance my solo career, I had to divide my time. After Bob’s passing, I had the passion and urge to fulfil a solo career. I had [the] Black Woman album recorded, and my manager was getting tours for me. Being an I-Three, and balancing my solo career, it wasn’t something I had to rush from one entity to the next. It was always timed. When I was not working as a soloist, it was an opportunity to perform as an I-Three and there was an opportunity for my solo career to kick in,” she added.

Meanwhile, Griffiths too said her membership as an I-Three was complementary to her solo career, which started years before the group’s formation in 1974.

“I’ve never had any experience like that and to look back at it, it’s a one in a million experience. Not many people have gotten the opportunity to tackle something like that. How I see myself, I am so happy at my age to be at the age I am and to look back. Many people will never get an opportunity like that. It was really memorable,” she told the Observer.

Griffiths, who is also referred to as the “Queen of Reggae”, said she learnt valuable lessons under the tutelage of Marley, that she has applied to her solo career.

“The memories were really beautiful. You were spreading the gospel through the music, you’re travelling, you’re meeting people with different culture. Being part of the Bob Marley experience; he just wanted to get his message across to the world. His music was more than just about entertainment. At the same time, when you’re travelling, meeting people from different cultures — rain or sunshine, you were learning along the way and those are precious moment that money can never buy,” she said.

The I-Three appeared on several of Bob’s ground breaking albums including Natty Dread, Rastaman Vibration, and Exodus.

They also scored a handful of hit songs including Neighbour, Jealousy and Many Are Called.