Former Wailer Tyrone Downie Recalls Tour Life, Bob Marley & More | The DROP

Teino Evans Media...
Tyrone Downie is a Jamaican keyboardist/pianist who is most known for his involvement as a member of Bob Marley and The Wailers.
He left Kingston College and joined The Wailers in the mid-1970s at the age of 13, making his recording debut with the band, on 'Rastaman Vibration', having previously been a member of the Impact All Stars.
He has also played with The Abyssinians, Beenie Man, Black Uhuru, Buju Banton, Peter Tosh, Junior Reid, Tom Tom Club, Ian Dury, Burning Spear, Steel Pulse, Alpha Blondy, Tiken Jah Fakoly and Sly & Robbie.
He currently resides in France and is a member of the touring band of Youssou N'Dour, whose album 'Remember' he produced.
In 1983, Grace Jones released the Single 'My Jamaican Guy'. Unbeknown to Downie, he (though in a relationship and not romantically linked to Jones) was the subject of the song.
Downie released the solo album Organ-D in 2001.
#Wailers
#TyroneDownie
#TeinoEvansMedia
#TheDROP

[@admiralhipowa7158]

Can’t believe your gone Tyrone, rest in paradise 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@lemonadesoldier1377]

When Didi he gone ???? RIP great pianist

[@tatu8663]

Oh, no. I didn't know. Sad news.

[@adjeiagyeman4286]

@@tatu8663 1aq1aAqq1q1QQq+qAq1q```+

[@bertrammajor1371]

@@tatu8663 last weekend

[@atshabal]

As a huge wailers fan im so sadened by the death of Tyrone Downie🙏

[@user-tu8vo3yh5q]

When man work is over Man will fly away home

[@ikongchin3088]

Every man will do in time.BLESSED LOVE jumpy R.I.P.

[@therootoflife5290]

Tyrone Downie...Respect from Tanzania and we thank you so much for your contribution to Wailers music that we still live with today...

[@nancyburke92]

Rest in Power Tyrone / formerly Jumpy - you were always full of energy talent and sweetness - condolences to all your family and friends

[@davidwebb2816]

Long Live The Legacy of Tyrone and The Original Wailers 🎹 Holy Mount Zion Train is Coming Our Way,

[@walla8269]

THE YOUNGEST WAILER RIP ORGAN D

[@thenowchurch6419]

Yes I Tyrone, you and the whole of Wailers helped change the world for the better. The music and the message will live forever.

[@jeedeh]

RIP, Tyrone! Fly away home, Brother, fly away home...now that your work is over, fly away home. Thanks for sharing your gift with reggae music lovers all over the world!

[@remmykangwa4845]

RIP Tyrone Downie, indeed you were part of the great history of black mental liberation with reggae greats Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Rest well.

[@american_cosmic]

White mental liberation, too, depending on the person!

[@christianmpassi863]

Let him rest in peace. Reggae is the music I will never get tired of.

[@loveheals6184]

This Ghanaian sister gives thanks to all of you who worked towards making and sharing this important video. It's necessary for us to document and archive the recollections and wisdom of our elders. Blessings, Mr. Downie, to you and yours. 🖤❤💚 ❤💛💚🖤🖤💛💚 ❤💙 🇯🇲🇬🇭

[@kobinabreeze572]

A Ghanaian brother here equally shares in your sentiment. ❤💛💚

[@ikongchin3088]

Gone but not forgotten as long as REGGAE MUSIC PLAY.

[@kathyanderson1341]

Blessed to have felt this brother play his music. Not with Bob. But with the Wailers♥️🙏🏽 Thanks be to JAH, Journey well, as Jah guides you forward. Condolences to your familia🙏🏽♥️

[@donaldfliponi4022]

In the early 1980s, Roger Steffens was nice enough to invite me over to KCRW to sit in on a live interview of Tyrone. He was upbeat, articulate, excited about having a little time to "go into my studio and go crazy" meaning having a break to become a better musician. He started very young maybe 13-14 years old and I swear despite all the commentary about beginning with Rastaman Vibration [is positive - a phrase he said to Bob], that he was earlier than that, maybe as far back as Catch a Fire? He might not have been full time or credited, but he said he started earlier. I have read at least he was on Live, Natty Dread, Burnin or Fire. During this time he was already recording for others, so why not? I am not an authority on Tyrone, but despite him looking so young, he sure seem to have a clear path for his life to be both a contributor to take us into the emotional counterpart of Bob's ideas - to help paint the impact. Consider the sound of Heathen, Natural Mystic, he is even credited with NWNC - those songs changed lives or even outcomes in part of the world. In a lighter, joyous lilt, Bob's story of Three Little Birds is a simple story, given its emotional context by Tyrone. The same could the sadness of Johnny Was or the anger of Rat Race. Or Fams hypnotic baseline in Mystic. You can pick any one of the band members as the creators. See below. Having worked with the Native Americans for decades, I am very proud that Tyrone went with Cedella to see the Havasupai in the bottom of the Grand Canyon to fulfill Bobs promise. As is clear in the interview above, Tyrone had a personal integrity, yet in a joyous way of being serious. The photograph of him holding up his son while beaming is a tribute to fatherhood and love of a father for his son. It might have been Vivian who took that one? While Bob led the group to the apex of music, from knowing Al, Junior, Family Man, Carlie and Tyrone. I mean sitting down to meals with them and talking about life, They were individually talented contributors and innovators. The one thing that is difficult to have watched in each of these men and women who all have my respect and we all know this to be true, was their neglect by Island Records and the Marley family. Without these contributors they would not have made tens to hundreds of millions of dollars off of the music that Bob and the Wailers created. In my opinion, their next generation music is something different. You cannot be born into millions of dollars and write with an authenticity that Bob did. Since his attorney Diane was with him in Bavaria, it seems certain she would have him make plans to take of them. Lots of people do his songs, they are only lyrics, not experienced life. Even if you used the perfect words and the greatest reggae melody. That stuff can be created by many. Just like Tyrone's innovations that few understood the autonoetic like Tyrone above, Bob was unique to our lifetime. Tyrone was already wiser than me by decades. If you consider that hundreds of millions or even a billion people from then to now were influenced by Bob and the Wailers on an international level. Anyone else you can think of is mostly regional or national. The musicians who helped Bob deserved respect. If you are saying you represent Bob either by blood or business, that is merely money or circumstance. To me, that doesn't cut it. I have heard that Bob's given name is Nesta, tantamount to Essence. Do we have his perspective and live by what was his essential contribution? Or as Bob responded as quick and explosive as a Zip Gun - "does money make you rich?" He did not think it did nor did he live his life like that. When people are given, given, enormous wealth, but neglect to show gratitude and respect for the actual creators to its musical contributors, it shows you do not represent Bob's purpose or essence, really. This is the definition of extractivism and colonialism. You become the slave master. You may have his name or his label, the just as the Romans had Jesus's garments. Jesus said in a meadow overlooking the Sea of Galilee "by their fruit you will know them" an antecedent or previous version of "does money make you rich?" I am not telling any reader anything they do not know to be true. They betrayed the band, themselves, and Bob himself. I am not in a Marley fantasy here, he had his shortcomings, to be expected of anyone living in the lash of colonialism. Try living on a Native American reservation over the summer or the winter. Bob and the Native Americans share that link and the spiritual repose that nearly superhuman. These frailties only contribute to how amazing his contribution that he called redemption. Why would Bob even entertain that he or any minority be made to think by White Euromericans that they need redemption when they were completely innocent? How do you rise above such cruelty to write such incredible, universal and timeless music? I think is more clearly stated in the speech he gave at Amandla during Wake Up and Live. Brothers and Sisters Unity.

[@writtenbyraymildo8557]

You're right 😊

[@donaldfliponi4022]

@@writtenbyraymildo8557 Thanks Raymildo - since you are in Europe and paying attention, do you have any insight into why the court and the people involved did what they did? Email me so that way I can understand this. I don't get it at all.

[@aframaco9491]

Tyrone Downie!!!!!!! You passed on! Please say hello to Bob Marley and Tosh, and Bunny, and Seeco and Earl Wire Lindo ! God bless all of you! Rest in Power!! 👊🏾🇳🇬👊🏾🇳🇬!

[@mignonmanderson-jones4216]

Team effort, Bob's words and music needed your arrangements. You are the best. Jamaica and the world owe you.

[@kayawenkumbwa1926]

You run your race faithfully brother man. May Jah recieve you in His Kingdom. Jah Guide.

[@gregmoore6726]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I understand Bob loved Tyrone when he joined the Wailers in 1976 around Album Rastaman Vibrations time. Tyrone was 19 and Bob 31. A few U tube clips show them interviewed together and they seemed to get on Jahnificently. Well there's a great reggae concert taking place in Jah heaven now and Tyrone is chatting again with Bob. Jah forever🌿🌿🌿🌿

[@writtenbyraymildo8557]

No. He joined Bob since 1971 when he was 15 years old. He played with Bob during the "Lee Perry" sessions. In 1973 he played voluntarily during the "Catch A Fire" period. In 1974 he played also with Bob, Bunny and Peter during the 2 reunion shows (Carib Theatre/National Stadium). Also during The Jackson 5 concert at National Stadium (3d reunion show) and later with Stevie Wonder (last reunion show) In 1975 when the "Natty Dread tour" started he became an official member of Bob's group.

[@regineraygina8775]

I met him by chance in august 2018, we talked together, he was so gentle... And was interested in me asking about my life.... Jah Bless...

[@Boy_Gentle]

Rest in power brother Tyrone. You did it, and your work stands as a testament

[@borismaretto8982]

Rest in Peace brother Tyrone. Blessing from his almighty ❤️

[@Rastafariministries77]

Walk good with the Ancestors mi Bredrin and thanks for the musical gifts

[@gabe.n7959]

R.I.P Tyrone Downie. Fall home to Zion🕊

[@eduardalsina5910]

One WAILER never die his music and message of love peace and unity will live forever .... RASTAFARI LIVE !

[@brownbrotherspublishing8471]

Oh god! At long last Tyrone a talk the truth, I was there from 1975 from London and you couldn't be soft and be around Bob Marley and the Wailer's what I saw by going on the road with them was more than enough for me in 75 I was 18 years old and I would deal with Bob, Tyrone and Charlton. It was a very militant group not to much skin-up by the next tour Bob started to travel with some hard core Yard Badman as his body gaurd that is when I met men with names like Tek-life I must say I never felt like I was in any danger they all seem to like me as I didn't show any fear around them I also knew how and when to keep my distance the first few years from 1975- 79 was cool plus I knew Bob was dying I remember when he came back from the doctors and was told they found cancer in the toe and he thought that his Rastafarian doctors could heal him. I wanted to tell him not to listen to them and go and look bout yu foot but like I told you, I was only a kid what I had to say didn't carry no weight back then so I kept my advice to myself. Well we all know how that turned out. The whole Marley experience was only 5 years before 1975 Marley had known some very hard years what made him the Lion that he was. I'm glad I was young apart from my own actions like having children, making records giving other artist their start in the business working with some of the Reggae star's I have known Marley was one of the first and the best I have never met anyone like him,trust mi!

[@user-pp9bl5gr1n]

I think ppl tend to forget Bob didn’t take no shit….the whole band actually

[@clydeshaw4111]

Rest in Power Tyrone! It was a joy to chill out with you brother!

[@claudioantoniodovigas3708]

Our feelings of Brazil, to family and friends, from great musician. RIP Mr. Downie.

[@leroybigby5451]

RIP Brother Tyrone, thanks for the great music. Rastafari

[@marciabrandon2423]

His wife kept his message alive!

[@Sheila-dg7zc]

Telling just like it is TYRONE DOWNIE

[@mr.treinen]

Thank you for being so courteous and polite with your time. I'll never forget the few interactions we had on social media, thank you for always answering my questions and for sharing your wisdom. I know you are going to be jammin with Skip, Carly, Wya, Seeco, thank you for sharing your talent!

[@janicegordon2681]

Rip Tyrone Downie

[@kalelc1996]

Tyrone flew away home to Zion RIP

[@MarlonMuzic]

We need a in depth interview with him. Starting from the beginning of his life like 2 1/2 hours . Or 3 hours interview

[@donaldfliponi4022]

I know Roger Steffens did a whole show interviewing him in the 80s. KCRW archives should be online 2-3 hours. I was there so I didn't record it. There is no doubt that he was dedicated to be the the best musician that he could be.

[@sebiartfoto]

this is so fully you...soul of the earth, funny, deep, conscious, warm human. Rest in Peace, Fly in Power brotha

[@Sheila-dg7zc]

Exactly my thoughts !!!

[@clydeshaw4111]

The awesome pianist!!!!!

[@uprising446]

RIP brother Tyrone 🙏🏿😢 Jah Rastafariiiiiii ✊🏿

[@truebradacrewpromotion2272]

Rise Up Tyrone !

[@andreachev9610]

Powerful and truthful.....one love

[@joseywailer7624]

Rest in Zion Brethren....♥💛💚

[@colleenhenry8022]

Rest in peace! Will miss you!! Will never forget the music !

[@rodneybryan6417]

YES MI BREDGREN NUFF RESPECT MIssion ACCOMPLISHED R.I.P. ONE LOVE 💖✌!!!".

[@tb22k]

Thank you ❤

[@bantuirie6321]

🕊️Zimbabwe RAlutes & MaXxXimum RAspect✊🏾 EldeRas HeadCreat🧠R🦁

[@MrSalahedien]

Rest in peace Greetings from Libya

[@michaelbenjamin2903]

Thank you for the Interview!!!!

[@normanbrown9225]

One of the Coolest Person I ever Met, ORGAN D, to Many

[@GaryB0436]

R.I.P. legend.

[@tafimutekwe2855]

So bubbly; you took the world by storm with your distinctive keyboard style. My favorite keyboard solos being on Concrete Jungle (on Babylon By Bus) and No Woman No Cry (Live at the Lyceum) Rest Peacefully legend.

[@Boy_Gentle]

Wire played the keyboard in concrete jungle. Tyrone didn’t play in any one of the songs you listed

[@sionem.fatongiatau8666]

​@@Boy_Gentle He was the organ solo on no woman no cry. Wire was just the organ rhythm guy who kept the pace of the song going

[@leorobinson5737]

This man sounds real, rest up man.

[@almogeorge713]

You did your work we must carry on great soldier rip my brother

[@MarlonMuzic]

Great one

[@UpParkCamp]

Oh man!!! RIP, Tyrone Downie. I am shocked to hear of his passing. First met him back in 1971 when he visited the home I lived (Rollington Town) to discuss music practices with another musician (Saxophonist) that had played for the Black Pearl Band. In that residental area, I recall, it was always good fellowship with those from Kingston College, Excelsior, Wolmer's, and Camperdown.

[@writtenbyraymildo8557]

He played with Bob during the "Lee Perry" sessions in 1971. Listening to Lick Samba 😊

[@UpParkCamp]

@@writtenbyraymildo8557 Okay. Interestingly, the late Tyrone Downie, Jackie Mittoo, and Augustus Pablo, made significant contributions to the development of Reggae and they all passed through Kingston College. I never attended that High School; nonetheless, I will give recognition.

[@writtenbyraymildo8557]

​​@@UpParkCamp indeed he deserved recognition. He played first as a young volunteer from 1971-74 and in 1975 he became an official member from the group when the Natty Dread tour was started.

[@UpParkCamp]

@@writtenbyraymildo8557 Understood. Sadly, the Founding Fathers of Reggae, both in instruments and productions, have passed; but.......that's life. Personally, I collected all their music productions (as many as possible, 100s) and still listen to them on my cell phone.

[@BigMurenga]

Rest in Power Big Man...

[@zachtine4404]

You will be missed, I still remember the album with Youssou Ndour Dakar Kingston

[@sinsing5972]

Toujours dans la mémoire...

[@kyakindu3407]

R.I.P 🙏

[@tourenarcisse6730]

Handsome and gifted

[@EnriqueTj]

RIP Tyrone Downie

[@vusimthalane9299]

Grace Jones wrote My Jamaican Guy about him.

[@georgedouglas6268]

Legend rip 👌❤️🇯🇲🇯🇲🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@samuelntshangase267]

Rest in Power. Thanks for liberation our minds 🇿🇦

[@mtshanko]

Rest Easy Organ D! Wailer original

[@TRCOnline1]

RIP legend.

[@levijah1306]

🇩🇪 Germany in the house Blessings nice little reasoning interview but it should have been longer because I am sure this brother have more knowledge to pass on but I enjoy it nice little interview

[@carloscesarmacielsilva45]

Sempre em nossas lembranças 🇧🇷

[@ashebermulugata9]

Wailers fi life Tyrone Downie R. I. P. Souljah.

[@laminjallow4838]

Rest in peace Tyrone Downie

[@nelsoncokanasiga1552]

RIP Tyrone

[@Mario_Ramirez]

Sadly, it's being reported that Mr Downie has passed away.

[@CJ-en8xq]

Why good people died so fast , only 66yrs old hard work its amazing to see how the Rastas loses their hair .rest in peace your hard will live on .

[@jairodominguez7592]

🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲Jah love

[@jahmarkx6307]

REST IN POWER GREAT REVOLUTIONARY

[@madaghdjiansophie1796]

Paix a son âme sincères condoléances à la famille Sophie pianiste .

[@madaghdjiansophie1796]

Merci de france

[@philippedacruz]

So sad to hear all of them going away...

[@stephenbutler3428]

Rest in power ❤️💛💚

[@stephenbutler3428]

Much respect and ❤️💛💚from Rhode island massive,jah guide😪

[@yibbou]

Rest In Peace.

[@BillOdyssey]

Hero x

[@tgas2064]

3months later he passed away....just sad man, none of the Wailers got they just due.

[@janiceellis-wiles6939]

🕊🙏🏾💫

[@writtenbyraymildo8557]

Do you guys have more sections of this beautiful interview with the late Tyrone Downie? I believe this was heavily edited.

[@mjelombilini7628]

Saddened to learn that Tyrone is no more.

[@lamourhowell6772]

RIP 🙏

[@philmeenja3944]

R I P Mr Tyrone

[@CHILLDOUTMAN]

RIP Lion ❤💚💛

[@bronz12]

Now is the song rumors of a war "War"

[@ULTIMATEPATCHES]

It's too bad there isn't a translation of this video as the patois is too thick to understand.

[@donomer7329]

Patois is very hard to understand 😅 but really cool

[@normanbrown9225]

PS BOB IS ON THE JAMAICAN STAMP.

[@PALMOHAMED]

RIP

[@marciabrandon2423]

Mi agree. No national hero.

[@United-States-of-Africa]

The man dem go thru so much things fi build reggae music now some rat bat a abuse it and some a claim it

[@ikongchin3088]

Yes this is so BUT I n I always kno who a deh ROOTS. A nuh look or pose do it.When we were making our music we had nuff nuff fight n pressure jus like whey jumpy seh

[@abidnessman]

Did not understand where this is?

[@cherri5445]

St Elizabeth in Jamaica 🇯🇲

[@teinoevansmedia]

A place called Windmill Cottages in Malvern, St Elizabeth (Jamaica)

[@lesterstanislas5590]

What when did he died

[@sifisosibiya8178]

Jah rest the dead

[@normanbrown9225]

The Vow of Vows; BOOK OF NUMBERS CHAPTER 6, VOW OF THE NAZARENE.

[@davidbulla5128]

What's happening to the Wailers 😢

[@glendoncodling1012]

Nothing accomplished by the one love concert hand 🖐 shake. Between prime Minister Michael manly and opposition leader Edward Seaga

[@glendoncodling1012]

The system brutalized PETER TOSH to the very end 🔚

[@LeahTVdotcom]

Beautiful ❤