Bob Marley family in licensing deal for clothes, food

Bob Marley in an undated photo.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bob Marley's family has teamed up with a private equity group to handle licensing of the late Jamaican reggae legend's likeness, trademarks and themes on retail products ranging from apparel to video games.

Hilco Consumer Capital will license products including, shoes, food, collectibles, luggage, musical instruments, and stationery, with the Bob Marley family of brands.

In addition to Bob Marley, the group will also license products under the names of Tuff Gong, Catch A Fire, One Love, Three Little Birds and Relics of Antiquity, it said on Tuesday.

Marley, credited with helping to spread Jamaican music to a world-wide audience with hits like "No Woman, No Cry", and "I Shot the Sheriff," died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 36.

Hilco, which has compiled a stable of retail brands that include Ellen Tracy, Linens 'n Things and The Sharper Image, paid some $20 million earlier this month for half of House of Marley LLC, a joint venture with the Marley family, a spokesman for the private equity group said.

(Reporting by Emily Chasan in New York and Ajay Kamalakaran in Bangalore; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)