Remembering Sly Dunbar: The Life and Legacy of a Reggae Trailblazer

Sly Dunbar in London in 1984.
Credit: David Corio/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Reggae drummer Sly Dunbar has died at age 73
• His wife Thelma said she found him unresponsive at home on Jan. 26
• He rose to fame as one half of the duo Sly and Robbie

Sly Dunbar, the influential reggae drummer renowned as one half of the duo Sly and Robbie, has passed away at the age of 73.

Dunbar’s wife, Thelma, reported that she discovered him unresponsive at their home on January 26. She indicated that he had been ill and receiving treatment both domestically and internationally.

“Yesterday was such a good day for him. He had friends come over to visit him, and we all had such a good time,” Thelma shared. “I knew he was sick… but I didn’t know that he was this sick.”

In a statement shared with TMZ, Dunbar’s family expressed, “His extraordinary talent, innovation and lasting contributions will never be forgotten.” They added, “Sly’s music, spirit, and legacy touched people around the world, and we are deeply grateful for the love and support during this difficult time.”

Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar in an undated photo.
Credit: Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty

A two-time Grammy Award winner and 13-time nominee, Dunbar and his bandmate Robbie Shakespeare, who passed away in 2021, contributed to an estimated 200,000 recordings. Their collaborations included musical greats such as Mick Jagger, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, and No Doubt, according to Rolling Stone.

The duo first gained recognition as a backing band for the Jamaican reggae group The Revolutionaries, later establishing themselves as a duo. They toured with the Rolling Stones in 1978 and launched their own label, Taxi Records, releasing several albums, the most recent being Dubrising in 2014.

“It was like magic, I always say,” Dunbar reflected in a 2008 interview about meeting Shakespeare. “We became producers because the radio was paying all these recordings for the producers and they were hitting. I looked down and said to Robbie, ‘What’s the future for us? We’re not owning ourselves on tape; producers are.’ So Robbie said, ‘I think we should try to own our own material, but we’re not going to stop doing sessions. We’ll play every day.’ So, we started doing songs.”

Born Lowell Fillmore Dunbar in Kingston, Jamaica, he lent his talents to Jagger’s solo album She’s the Boss, and Dylan’s records Infidels and Empire Burlesque. He produced hits for No Doubt, including “Underneath It All” and “Hey Baby,” and co-wrote Omi’s 2012 track “Cheerleader,” which later became a major success after a remix.

Sly Dunbar in London in June 2005.
Credit: Richard Ecclestone/Redferns/Getty

Dunbar cited Skatalites drummer Lloyd Knibbs as a mentor and expressed admiration for other legendary drummers, stating, “I respect all these drummers and have learned a lot from them. From them, I listened and created my own style. They played some things I copied. Other things I recreated.”

Ali Campbell, lead singer and co-founder of the British reggae band UB40, paid tribute to Dunbar on Facebook, asserting that “modern day beats simply wouldn’t be what they are without the influence of reggae and dancehall riddims that Sly singlehandedly pioneered.”

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness also commemorated Dunbar’s legacy, noting his pioneering role in integrating electronic instruments into traditional reggae beats. “He was a pioneer. He kept our music modern and relevant for decades,” Holness wrote. “Despite his immense international success, he remained a humble son of the soil, always ready to mentor the next generation.”