Alvin ‘Seeco’ Patterson

Wailers roots percussionist BORN 1930

Born in Havana, the man nicknamed ‘Seeco’, after his birthname Francisco, had worked as a bauxite miner and played percussion with calypso singer Lord Flea when he met Bob Marley in Kingston. He facilitated the fledgling Wailers’ momentous audition at Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One in 1963, and began playing on Wailers recordings in 1967. He accompanied the band on their 1973 UK tour and became an integral part of the outfit after the departure of Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingstone the following year. Staying with Marley for the rest of the Tuff Gong’s life, Seeco played live and contributed to albums including Exodus, Kaya, Survival and Uprising. A friend, mentor and confidant, he was also present when Marley, his wife Rita and his manager were shot by gunmen before the Smile Jamaica concert in December 1976, and when Marley received cancer treatment in New York and West Germany. After Marley’s death in May 1981, Seeco joined his bandmates to play Natural Mystic at his funeral, and continued to perform with The Wailers’ band. He retired in 1990 after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Clive Prior

“Seeco was Bob Marley’s friend, mentor and confidant.”