A Legacy in Reggae
Al Anderson, renowned for his soulful and pioneering guitar work, is the founder of the Grammy-nominated band The Original Wailers. Established in 2006, the band draws deep inspiration from reggae legends Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer—all of whom Anderson had the honor of recording and performing with during the golden era of Jamaican music. This personal connection to reggae's foundational figures continues to shape Anderson's artistry and fuels his enduring passion."Whenever I play our music, I put 1,000% into it because I always feel like they're listening," Anderson said in an interview with SXSW Pop Magazine on March 6, 2025. "I feel an energy playing the material that we created together.”
Al Anderson first rose to international prominence as the lead guitarist for Bob Marley and The Wailers during two critical periods (1973–1976 and 1978–1981). His contributions—often cited among the most iconic guitar solos in reggae history—helped define the sound of a generation. Guitar Exchange magazine named him among “The 10 Most Important Reggae Guitarists,” and together with Wayne Perkins, Anderson was one of the first to infuse Jamaican music with blues-rock guitar stylings, leaving a global impact on the genre. Beyond his work with Bob Marley, Anderson has had an illustrious career as both a band member and session musician. He has collaborated with a wide range of influential artists, including Peter Tosh, Carlos Santana, Lauryn Hill, Steven Seagal, Ben Harper, toured with Traffic, UB40, HR plus many more. His guitar playing is featured on some of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed albums of all time, including:
Bob Marley and The Wailers – Legend (Certified 10x Platinum; the second longest-charting album in Billboard history)
Santana – Supernatural (One of the best-selling albums ever)
Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (10 Grammy nominations, 5 Grammy wins in a single night)
A two-time Grammy nominee, Al Anderson continues to preserve and evolve the sound of roots reggae through The Original Wailers.
Speaking about his current lineup, Anderson describes the group as “The United Nations of Sound” (Artist On The Rise Magazine, February 12, 2025). The band brings together an eclectic and international array of musicians:
Chet Samuel – Lead Vocals & Rhythm Guitar: A gifted vocalist and songwriter from Puerto Rico, who also worked with 506 CREW and Burning Spear. Chet’s solo album “Say My Name” was released in 2008 and has been described as “a pleasure from start to finish” by The Beat Magazine. After Al was hearing his compositions it was only natural for Chet to sing with The Original Wailers.
Paapa Nyarkoh – Drums: A master percussionist from Ghana specializing in African rhythms. Grammy-nominated drummer, who has worked with many major artists including Hugh Masakela. Paapa’s style combines African rhythms and Reggae, Go-Go and Jazz, Calypso and Soca Beats.
Omar Lopez – Bass Guitar: A versatile multi-instrumentalist from Mexico. Composer, arranger, producer, he has worked across a wide range of genres. Some notable artists include; Sly Stone, Big Daddy Kane, POD, Frankie J, Tito Puente Jr., Poncho Sánchez, Johnny Osborne, Michael Prophet.
Ras Klamps – Keyboards & Organ: A veteran Jamaican keyboard player with decades of reggae experience. He has worked with internationally recognized artists as: Rita Marley, Culture, Burning Spear, Abyssinian, Third World.
Erica Newell - background vocals: Jamaican singer best known for her work with the Melody Makers. Erica has also performed with legendary artists such as Dennis Brown, Damian Marley, Mikey General and many more.
Hassanah Iroegbu - background vocals: Nigerian singer-songwriter, known for her soothing and powerful vocal style and songs of sweet melody and soulful substance.
Al Anderson – Lead Guitar & Vocals: Founding member and driving force behind the band’s vision.
Together, they carry the legacy of reggae into the future, honoring its roots while creating new rhythms for the world to hear.
Over the years, the band has toured across the globe, performing in countries such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chilli, Peru, Columbia, Emirates, Bahrain, UK, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Indonesia (Bali), South Africa, Madagascar, Reunion Island, Morocco, Costa Rico, Puerto Rico…
The Original Wailers are currently working on their upcoming album, which features songs in both English and Español. Two singles have already been released: Song of the Divine, accompanied by an official music video, and Si Tú Me Lo Das, a Spanish-language track. Check it out and keep your spirit charged with the new music of The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson.
Past members that have toured and recorded with The Original Wailers band: Junior Marvin, Tyrone Downie, Desi Hyson, Rohan Raid, 'Carrot' Jarrett, Stephen Stewart, Rex Howard, Adrian Cisneros