Leah Flynn’s parents play a lot of classic pop songs in their home, which exposed her to standards like Aretha Franklin’s Respect, Purple Rain by Prince and Bob Marley’s One Love. Last year, the 16 year-old violinist began performing the latter, and other tracks by the reggae king.

The Orlando-based Flynn’s parents are Jamaican, who ensured their home was saturated with the country’s culture. Describing Marley as “a musical genius, icon and legend”, she has posted her violin renditions of some of his songs to YouTube.

They include One Love and Three Little Birds, from his 1977 Exodus album. Of all the singer-songwriter’s timeless songs, his ubiquitous anthem stands out.

“It’s a profound song,” she said of One Love, adding that converting roots-reggae to the violin is pretty simple.

“It is not difficult playing Marley songs on the violin, the chord structure is easy to follow. I am an advanced reader in Classical music and I also play by ear, so I can basically play a piece after hearing it a couple of times,” she said.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Flynn started playing the violin at age five. One year later, she moved with her family to Orlando where she joined the Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony.

Flynn has performed with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, American Pops Orchestra and played the American national anthem before the start of a Miami Heat/Orlando Magic NBA game.

She is fascinated by Marley, who died in May 1981 from cancer at age 36.

“He was all about equal rights and justice,” said Flynn, who pointed to Is it Love, Redemption Song and No Woman No Cry as other Marley songs she would like to cover.

– Howard Campbell