Ziggy Marley

In February, the pioneering reggae toaster U-Roy died at the age of 78. Before his death, U-Roy was working on an album called Solid Gold U-Roy. The album was originally set to come out in 2020, with a big tour behind it. It features collaborations with a lot of prominent reggae and reggae-adjacent artists, including Sly & Robbie, Ziggy Marley, Shaggy, Big Youth, Richie Spice, and the Clash’s Mick Jones. The album is now set for release this summer, and the first single has just come out.

PBS has acquired the domestic distribution rights to “Icon: Music Through the Lens,” a docuseries about the history of photography for rock stars and musicians through the years.

Dick Carruthers, a legendary music director who has worked with artists like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Beyonce, White Stripes, Oasis, Paul McCartney and Black Sabbath, directed and produced “Icon,” and music photographer Gered Mankowitz curated the series’ many iconic photos.

PBS plans to air the series this summer, which is in six, one-hour parts, as part of the network’s primetime lineup.

“Icon” charts the fascinating lives and often crazy experiences of music photogs, from the earliest darkrooms to the digital landscapes of the present day. The series examines famous studio portraits, record sleeves, music magazine shoots, live shows, exhibitions, social media, coffee table books and fine art to ask what makes an image iconic and discover what the future holds for music photography.

Some of the photographers interviewed alongside Gered Mankowitz about their work in music include Jill Furmanovsky, Kevin Westenberg, Terry O’Neill, Kevin Cummins, Bob Gruen, Rachel Wright, Deborah Feingold, Baron Wolman, Neal Preston, Roger Sargent, Dean Chalkley, Tom Sheehan, Pooneh Ghana, Michael Zagaris, Danny Clinch, Rankin and Mick Rock. They’re also joined by rock stars such as Alice Cooper, Craig David, Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Ziggy Marley, Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Zara Larsson, Stefflon Don and Dizzee Rascal and many others.

“Icon: Music Through The Lens”, was produced by FilmRise in partnership with Universal Music Group’s Mercury Studios, a U.K. based producer and distributor of music programming.

“FilmRise and our production partner at Mercury Studios are thrilled that the ‘Icon’ documentary series will be presented to U.S. audiences on PBS,” FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher said in a statement. This is a comprehensive and definitive series that will appeal to all lovers of music and photography and we feel that the series uniquely and distinctly immerses the viewer in the culture and history of this fascinating art form.”

Melissa Wohl, Head of Sales, FilmRise negotiated the deal and Zara Frankel, Director of Programming and Development at Public Broadcasting Service serves as editorial lead on the program.

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Paramount’s Bob Marley music biopic has found a director.

Reinaldo Marcus Green, the director of the Will Smith film “King Richard,” will direct the untitled film about the reggae music pioneer legend.

Marley’s son and reggae artist Ziggy Marley will produce. Rita Marley and Cedella Marley will produce on behalf of Tuff Gong. Robert Teitel will also produce.

“Bob Marley’s music lives on in all of us. His lyrics transcend continents, color, creed, and generations of people,” Green said in a statement. “It heals. It fights. It bleeds love and truth. It’s a true honor and privilege to work with Ziggy and the Marley Family, and Paramount Pictures to bring his story to life. Audiences want to know the real Bob, the man as well as the legend. I trust this film will bring us closer to understanding his journey, his music, and continue to carry the torch of his legacy with humility and grace, and most of all, love.”

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“I am very excited to be hands on in working to dive deeper into sharing the legacy of who our father Bob Marley is,” Ziggy Marley said in a statement. “It’s an incredible responsibility that we take on with Reinaldo and the team at Paramount to tell the story of our father in a way that truly honors him and will also entertain, enlighten, uplift and inspire his fans and audiences around the world. It’s like opening a window that has never been open before.”

Marley died at age 36 of cancer in 1981, but the Jamaican artist helped spread reggae music throughout the world and contributed to changing the face of rock music with his messages of peace and love in songs like “Jammin’,” “No Woman No Cry,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “Redemption Song” and many more. His greatest hits album “Legend” has sold 12 million copies in the U.S. and is the best-selling reggae album of all time.

Green is in post-production on “King Richard,” which is a biopic about the life of tennis great Richard Williams and starring Will Smith. His most recent film “Joe Bell” starring Mark Wahlberg premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and was picked up by Solstice Studios. And his debut film “Monsters and Men” won the Best First Feature jury prize from Sundance in 2018.

Deadline first reported the news.

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