Sly Dunbar, reggae drummer and producer with Sly and Robbie, dies aged 73

"Sly Dunbar, the Jamaican musician and producer who created generations of global hits as one half of production duo Sly and Robbie, has died aged 73. His wife, Thelma, told Jamaican newspaper the Gleaner that she found him unresponsive on Monday morning, with doctors later pronouncing him dead. Other sources close to Dunbar confirmed the news to the Guardian, adding that Dunbar had been unwell for some months."

"Born Lowell Fillmore Dunbar in Kingston, Jamaica, he started out playing on his school desk and on tin cans. Still in his teens, he and bassist Robbie Shakespeare who died in 2021 formed the rhythm section of the group the Revolutionaries (also going under other names such as the Aggrovators), who became one of the key backing bands in Jamaican reggae that decade, as well as putting out their own music."

"Dunbar's insistent shuffling rockers drum pattern an early showcase for which was on Dave and Ansell Collins' Double Barrel, a UK No 1 in 1971 and Dunbar's first appearance on a song became hugely influential and soon underpinned whole swathes of roots reggae. Thirteen-time Grammy nominee Dunbar. Photograph: David Corio/Redferns A 1978 tour with the Rolling Stones inspired a harder, more energetic sound for albums by the likes of Black Uhuru."

Sly Dunbar died aged 73 after months of ill health and was found unresponsive by his wife, Thelma. He played on thousands of sessions across multiple decades with reggae and pop artists, earning widespread tributes. Born Lowell Fillmore Dunbar in Kingston, he began playing on school desks and tin cans and formed a key rhythm partnership with bassist Robbie Shakespeare in their teens. His shuffling rockers drum pattern, showcased on Dave and Ansell Collins' Double Barrel (a 1971 UK No 1), became highly influential in roots reggae. He was a thirteen-time Grammy nominee and co-founded Taxi Records.

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