Fire destroys Rita's studio

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

A recording studio in Ghana owned by Rita Marley has been destroyed by fire, according to a report out of that country Saturday evening.

It said original master tapes containing music by her late husband, reggae legend Bob Marley, were in the building.

"The cause of the fire is unknown but sources close to Mrs Marley say it may have been caused by an electrical fault," reads a story on the incident from Myjoyonline.com.

It said the studio is located in Ubiri, in the eastern region of the west African country. The story also quoted Blakk Rasta, an associate of Marley, that he had been to the studio just hours before on Saturday.

no impending inferno

"There was no sign of an impending inferno," Blakk Rasta was quoted as saying.

The report did not state if the tapes were also destroyed.

The multimillion-dollar studio was expected to be officially launched in late 2009, but had to be cancelled as Rita Marley was in the United States on personal business.

The matriarch of the Marley family has lived in the Ghanaian city of Accra for over 10 years. She has been involved in several musical and humanitarian projects in the country, the most noted being the Africa Unite concerts which are staged by her Rita Marley Foundation.

The concerts entail a photo exhibition of Bob Marley's music as well as symposiums examining his work. Africa Unite, which is held in February to mark the reggae superstar's birthday, was held in Ghana in 2006. It has also been staged in Ethiopia and South Africa.

Rita Marley has overseen the Marley legacy since the death of her husband from cancer in May 1981. His albums, especially those done for Island Records, have sold in the millions during the last 20 years. Legend, a compilation of some of his most popular songs, has sold more than 12 million units internationally.