How many kids did Aston Barrett have? All about the Bob Marley band leader as he dies aged 77

Well-known musician Aston Barrett, 77, passed away on February 3, 2024. Barrett gained recognition for his associations with Bob Marley and the Wailers over the years. However, his personal life was also in the spotlight, and he was given the title of Family Man since he was reportedly a father of 18 sons and 23 daughters, as per The Guardian.

The artist's son Aston Barrett Jr. announced the news of his father's demise through Instagram with a video and wrote that he died "after a long medical battle." He continued:

"This morning, the world lost not just an iconic musician and the backbone of The Wailers but a remarkable human being whose legacy is as immense as his talent. Our family is asking for privacy during this challenging time, as words cannot express our profound loss."

Barrett Jr. mentioned the accolades won by his father over the years and said that his music impacted everyone. He also described Aston as a "man of few words" and added:

"We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has been part of the journey with us. Your love, support, and kind words have been a source of strength during this difficult time. Let us remember Familyman for the legend he was and the incredible memories he has given us."

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Aston Barrett was a producer of different musical projects over the years: Career explored

According to his obituary in The Guardian, Aston Barrett's father, Wilford, was a blacksmith. Barrett spent his childhood on Beeston Street and completed schooling at St Aloysius boys' and Vauxhall School. He became interested in singing when he began performing in a group at the Cobba Camp in Manchester.

Aston performed with many bands throughout his career, but he was praised for his work on the band Bob Marley and the Wailers. He contributed as a producer and writer for a few group songs. Caribbean Beat stated that Aston once spoke about Bob in an interview and said:

"Bob was my best friend and my partner, and I loved him dearly. Together we wrote and produced songs that still touch the heart and soul of everyone around the world. We worked together on the music and together we shared our success."

Aston additionally worked with other artists over the years, including Judy Mowatt. He even served as a musician for bands and artists like African Brothers, Al Campbell, Big Joe, and many others.

Late musician Robbie Shakespeare once said in an interview with United Reggae that Aston Barrett positively impacted his career. Shakespeare recalled when Aston sold herbs near the gate of his house and had once witnessed Barrett playing with the Hippie Boys. He continued:

"When I saw him playing his thing I said "Wait." Because I was always attracted to bass you know. I was attracted to guitar and drums. I was attracted to every instrument but the sound from the bass that time there hit me and I said "Sh******t.""

Aston Barrett also received two awards from Bass Player Magazine in 2012 and 2020.

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Why Aston Barrett was called the "Family Man"?

As mentioned earlier, Aston Barrett was reportedly the father of many children. Although the number of children is different everywhere, he once spoke to The Times and stated that two of his children died from unknown cases. He added:

"I've been blessed with 40 children. That's why I need the money. No man, I don't have 52 children as the media says. They tried to add 12 more to my list."

As of this writing, detailed information on Aston's survivors remains unknown.