As the Wailers tour the U.S. this spring and summer, including a beachside set at the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores on May 22, their music will lift spirits and spread the same positive vibes that it has for decades. Together with Bob Marley, the Wailers have sold over 250 million albums, and for many people around the world, their catalog of songs defines reggae music.

According to Wailers lead singer Dwayne “Danglin” Anglin, the music is “timeless because it is based on real people, real situations, real experiences. The message of the music and the mood that it sets are the two things that give it a certain uniqueness, a profoundness and relevance that will sustain through all time.”

Rastafarianism is the foundation of reggae and the inspiration behind the spiritually and socially driven lyrics in Bob Marley and the Wailers’ music. “We believe in love and harmony and wherever these two things are lacking, Rastafari is trying to instill them,” Anglin says. Their deep respect for the environment lies in an understanding of the relationship between humans and nature. With a commitment to peaceful interactions between plants, animals, mankind and the natural elements, oneness can be achieved. 

Anglin describes natural living as the less abusive choice—both to the environment and to one’s own life. “If you pollute the air, then the water will be polluted as well, and if you drink the water, the water will in turn pollute the body, and if the body is polluted then the body deteriorates. It’s a cycle,” he says, “and you have to protect each other and each aspect of the cycle so that all elements on earth can coexist effectively.”

The singer’s peaceful lifestyle involves a natural, plant-based diet. “Plants and vegetables only need natural resources to grow, but when artificial elements are added as mankind attempts to manipulate nature’s timeline, there is no real nutritious value in what is grown, leading to corruption of mind, body and soul,” says Anglin.

He notes that a desire for power can also drive manipulation when instead “we should just move as one people and ignore everything that is physical and everything that is visual, knowing that the spiritual is the most important.”

Beyond singing about social consciousness, the Wailers help feed thousands of starving children around the globe. “Music is a universal means of expression, and we are lucky to have a direct line to the people, so we can influence and encourage and inspire people to do good and to live well,” says Anglin. In 2008, the group founded I Went Hungry, a global music industry initiative to help eradicate hunger. Upon learning that a child dies of hunger every six seconds, the Wailers began donating their tour catering to homeless people, subsequently enlisting fellow musicians to do the same. Since 2009, the Wailers have been ambassadors of The World Food Program, spreading awareness of world hunger and generating proceeds to support this humanitarian organization, which serves as the United Nations’ frontline agency for hunger solutions.

When asked what song he likes to perform the most, Anglin compares their catalog of songs to a buffet of all his favorite foods. “It’s impossible to pick because I love everything on the menu,” he enthuses. “Every Bob Marley song is so good and so influential and inspirational that I can just close my eyes and choose.”

Playing an average of 200 dates a year, the Wailers’ high energy and varied performances feature songs from their extensive discography, including those from Legend, which is the best-selling reggae album of all time. Its 2014 re-release topped Billboard’s Top 5.

The set list for a Wailers show is determined by what the band thinks the audience needs to hear. Anglin says, “We pay attention to what’s going on in the world and in the region to put together the best set of songs. It’s not just entertainment—we’re here to educate and to inspire the people.”

Currently, the group is focused on the worldwide problems of poverty and separation. Anglin believes that “these things are present everywhere. But to fix a problem, you have to have a solution and we focus on the solution—we want peace and tranquility and oneness in every community. These things should matter in the global view of life.”

As living legends of Bob Marley and part of a global influence that spans four decades, it is inevitable that the Wailers’ “one love” revolution will continue to be an inspirational soundtrack for many generations to come.

For a list of tour dates, visit Wailers.com/tour. Meredith Montgomery publishes Natural Awakenings Gulf Coast AL/MS.