Questions
What was Peter Tosh’s real name?
He was born Winston Hubert McIntosh on October 19, 1944, in Grange Hill, Jamaica. Peter Tosh became his stage name.
Was Peter Tosh in a band with Bob Marley?
Yes. He was a founding core member of The Wailers alongside Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer before launching his solo career.
Who taught The Wailers to play their instruments?
Tosh did. According to the article, he was initially the only one in the group who could play, so he helped teach the others guitar and keyboards.
What was Peter Tosh’s first solo album?
Legalize It, released in 1976, whose title track became one of his signature songs.
Did he write ’Get Up, Stand Up’?
He co-wrote it with Bob Marley, and his own recording of the song appeared on his 1977 album Equal Rights.
Is that really Mick Jagger singing on a Peter Tosh record?
Yes. His 1978 album Bush Doctor featured Mick Jagger on a Temptations cover, which helped introduce Tosh to mainstream audiences.
Did Peter Tosh ever win a Grammy?
Yes. He won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Performance in 1987 for the album No Nuclear War.
Why was he called ’Steppin Razor’?
The nickname reflected his sharp, uncompromising artistic edge and his militant, outspoken persona.
What is the story behind his M-16 rifle guitar?
Musician Bruno Coon reportedly gifted him a custom guitar shaped like an M16 rifle in 1983. It is now housed at the Peter Tosh Museum in Kingston, which opened in 2016.
Did he really perform on a unicycle?
Reportedly yes. He was known to ride onto stage on a unicycle, going forwards, backwards, and even hopping.
What religion did Peter Tosh follow?
He became a Rastafarian in the late 1960s and was baptized in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, believing Haile Selassie was divine.
Is it true a photo of Peter Tosh inspired an emoji?
Reportedly a 1964 photograph of him inspired the 2 Tone Records logo, which later became the basis for the ’Man in Business Suit Levitating’ emoji.
How did Peter Tosh die?
He was murdered on September 11, 1987, at his home in Kingston at age 42, when gunmen on motorcycles invaded during a robbery. He was shot twice in the head.
Did Peter Tosh have children who also make music?
Yes. He had ten children, including musician Andrew Tosh, who was born in 1967.
