Reggae legend Bunny Wailer, saying he is keen to preserve his history, has released his catalogue digitally through Zojak World Wide. A statement from the singer's Solomonic label said Blackheart Man, the 1976 set regarded as Wailer's finest work, will be released on May 26 and featured on Itunes.

"This is my responsibility. If I am going to preserve my history, this is something I have to do," Wailer said in the statement.

Blackheart Man is the most touted of the releases. The 2009 version has revised arrangements and remastering that, according to Wailer, have enhanced its sound.

"New technology allows bass to be more bassy, get rid of surface noise. I am cleaning up Bunny Wailer's catalogue and packaging in a way that is more informative," he said.

Blackheart Man is Wailer's debut solo album and was released by Island Records three years after he and Peter Tosh left The Wailers.

Tosh and Bob Marley, another original Wailer, performed on Blackheart Man.

Tosh played rhythm guitar on five songs and sang backup with Marley on Dreamland.

Several of Jamaica's leading musicians played on Blackheart Man, including the Wailers rhythm section of Aston 'Family Man' Barrett (bass) and his brother Carlton Barrett on drums. The band's keyboardist, Tyrone Downie, was also part of the sessions.

Blackheart Man contains the roots classics Dreamland and Fighting Against Conviction. It was released the same year Marley and Tosh hit a note internationally with the powerful Rastaman Vibration and Legalize It albums, respectively.

Marley died in Miami from cancer in 1981; Tosh was murdered by gunmen at his St Andrew home in September 1987. Wailer (real name Neville Livingston) has won three Grammy Awards and still tours.

The digital market is arguably the most lucrative in contemporary music.

Many record companies release songs and albums in this format before shipping on compact disc.

Zojak World Wide is one of the leading digital distributors of reggae. Their catalogue includes albums by Barrington Levy and Spanner Banner.

Rock and groove with Bunny

Bunny Wailer, who was born in April 1947, is the youngest member of the three most famous Wailers. Peter Tosh was born in 1944; Bob Marley was born in 1945.

Dreamland has been covered with much success by Marcia Griffiths and Third World.

Wailer has never shied from experimenting with pop sounds. He wrote the disco-ish Electric Boogie which was a hit in the United States in 1983 for Griffiths.

His song, Crucial, was a massive hit in 1980. It dealt with the tough economic times in Jamaica.

He has won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album three times.