Papa Mali
Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne, born May 6, 1957, in Shreveport, Louisiana, is an
American guitarist and singer. He began playing guitar at age four and was
influenced by The Meters' performances in New Orleans during his youth. By age
seventeen, Welbourne left home to travel around the South, performing in various
settings. In 1980, he formed The Killer Bees with Michael E. Johnson and Stanton
Hoffman. The band became one of the first American groups to perform at Reggae
Sunsplash in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in 1988. Welbourne adopted the nickname "Papa
Mali" during this period. Aft...
