STEPHEN MARLEY & ROSS HOGARTH

FYC: OLD MAN

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

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PROJECT BACK STORY

by Ross Hogarth

In the Spring of 2023, I was approached by my close friend Niko Bolas, who has been Neil Young’s longtime producer/engineer. He and his partner, Dave Resnik, were making a charity record to bring awareness and money back to Neil Young's Bridge School for autistic kids. Neil had approved the use of his songs for this purpose. Niko and Dave invited me to be a part of it. They asked me to come up with a vision for any song and find an artist worthy of that vision. I was totally into doing anything for charity for the Bridge School since it makes a huge difference in the lives of autistic kids. Stephen had recently put out a record called “Old Soul,” with the title song being autobiographical. I was inspired by his song and envisioned him singing Neil’s classic “Old Man” and the meaning of the lyric “Old Man, take a look at my life, I’m a lot like you were” took on a whole new meaning with Stephen Marley, the son of Bob Marley, singing that lyric to a reggae groove. In bringing it to Stephen, he immediately got the vision and was inspired to cover this song in a new and different way. Stephen and the team are also very committed to making a difference in the world and were totally on board with the Bridge School charity being the purpose. We arranged it to start with his acoustic feel with his djembe and a simple groove, drop into the deep one drop reggae groove, and morph at the end into a dub styling. I brought back the pedal steel as an homage to Neil’s original, played by my pal John McFee of the Doobie Brothers. I also brought in my pal Tim Pierce to play some Curtis Mayfield-style soul rhythm guitar and wah wah. We felt this hybrid of musical colors represented the diversity we wanted to portray. The basic track and vocals were recorded in Stephen’s Lion’s Den studio in Miami, and overdubs here my studio in LA, with the mix done back and forth between Miami and LA.

I am extremely proud of this track on quite a few levels. I feel that the speakers never lie when it comes to music. We close our eyes, and if it makes us feel something, we have won at the game of getting emotion out of a pair of speakers. I feel this version of “Old Man” operates on some deeper level, and for that, I am grateful to have helped Stephen realize a vision in this new version of an old, tried and true classic.

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About Stephen Marley

ABOUT STEPHEN MARLEY

Eight-time GRAMMY® Award-winning international recording artist, Stephen Marley is never one to limit his musical horizons. He lets inspiration set him free as a singer, songwriter, musician, and producer – whether collaborating with his own illustrious musical family or with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Pitbull, Shaggy, Nas, Erykah Badu, amongst many others. His most recent album Old Soul was an acoustic revelation when it was released in September 2023 via Tuff Gong Collective/UMe/Ghetto Youths International. Old Soul explores a musical palette that spans a variety of cultures and genres alike, with hand-selected special guests including Bob Weir, Eric Clapton, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Buju Banton, and Slightly Stoopid, furthering the spiritual journey that encompasses the record’s 14 tracks. While Old Soul showcased Ragga’s versatility, the message within the music remains consistent. “We come to free the people’s minds,” says Stephen. “Only way you can free your soul is to free your mind. My father say, ‘No chains on my feet, but I'm not free.’ And then he come say,‘Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.’ Anywhere the music calls us, we are going to be there to spread the message of love and unity.”

Stephen Marley’s prolific touring schedule in 2024 encompassed an array of dates and configurations including his ‘Old Soul’ Unplugged Tour, a co-headline run on Michael Franti’s ‘Togetherness’ Tour and appearances at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival and Bottlerock Napa, ‘Traffic Jam’ with Damian Marley including Red Rocks with the Denver Symphony and The Hollywood Bowl, as well as premiering at the re-opening of Brooklyn’s famed Paramount Theatre. And most recently ‘Legacy 2024’ an unprecedented national shed tour with The Marley Brothers for the first time in 2 decades.

Stephen also served as the musical director for the acclaimed original motion picture ‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ which premiered last year in theatres and released globally throughout the world and garnered the BET Award for Best Movie in 2024, in addition to the film's soundtrack, "Bob Marley: One Love - Music Inspired By The Film (Deluxe)," won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2025. The film also received multiple nominations at the NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Motion Picture and Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture.

Stephen is excited to hit the road again in 2025 toll celebrating the monumental 80th birthday of his father Bob Marley’s with a series of his own headlining dates, and a summer run with Stick Figure plus a forthcoming schedule of new releases!

To listen to his music, view his touring schedule and more, visit www.stephenmarleymusic.com