David Michael Rosario, known as David Peel, was born in 1942 in Manhattan to Puerto Rican parents. He served two years in the United States Army before embarking on his music career. In 1968, he was signed by Elektra Records and released Have a Marijuana, which peaked at number 186 on the Billboard chart. Peel's breakthrough came in 1971 when John Lennon produced his album The Pope Smokes Dope. This album was banned in many countries but became sought after by collectors worldwide. Peel performed with Lennon at the John Sinclair Freedom Rally and on the David Frost Show. He continued to release albums throughout his career, including Up Against the Wall Street in 2013 and Give Hemp a Chance in 2015. Peel passed away in 2017, at the age of 74.
