Sly and Robbie musician Sly Dunbar, who was nominated for 13 Grammy awards across his career, has died aged 73.
The Jamaican drummer – real name Lowell Fillmore ‘Sly’ Dunbar – died on Monday morning.
While no cause of death has been given, his wife Thelma told Jamaican publication the Gleaner, as reported by Variety, that she found him unresponsive, before doctors later pronounced him dead. Sources also told The Guardian that he had ‘been unwell for some months’.
Dunbar was best known as part of the prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo Sly and Dunbar (which he formed with bassist Robbie Shakespeare), who were best known for their work in the reggae and dub genres.
They first teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing careers as solo musicians.
Born in 1952 in Kingston, Dunbar began playing in a band called The Yardbrooms aged 15, with his first appearance on a recoding coming on the Dave and Ansell Collins album Double Barrel, then going on join a band with Ansell Collins called Skin, Flesh and Bones.
He eventually met Shakespeare in 1972, with the pair starting to work together and then founding the Taxi Records label in 1980.
Dunbar also played for Aggrovators for Bunny Lee, the Upsetters for Lee Perry, the Revolutionaries for Joseph Hoo Kim, and recorded for Barry O’Hare in the 1990s.
He also played drums on well-known tracks including Junior Murvin’s Police and Thieves and Bob Marley’s Punky Reggae Party.
Sly and Robbie also played on Bob Dylan’s albums Infidels and Empire Burlesque and three Grace Jones’ albums. They also worked with Herbie Hancock, Joe Cocker, Serge Gainsbourg and the Rolling Stones.
Other collaborators included Simply Red, Carly Simon, Sinead O’Connor, Yoko Ono, Joe Cocker, Jackson Browne and Gary Barlow.
Dunbar was also nominated for 13 Grammys and won two – one in 1984 for best reggae recording and in 1998 for best reggae album.
Dunbar’s death comes five years after Shakespeare died at the age of 68 following kidney surgery.
At the time Jamaica’s Culture Minister, Olivia Grange, announced the news of his death, saying in a statement: ‘I am in shock and sorrow after just receiving the news that my friend and brother, the legendary basist [sic] Robbie Shakespeare has died.
‘Robbie and Sly Dunbar, the drummer, as Sly and Robbie, have been among Jamaica’s greatest musicians.
‘This fantastic team took bass playing and drumming to the highest level as they made music for themselves as a group and for many other artistes locally and internationally.
‘Robbie’s loss will be severely felt by the industry at home and abroad. My condolences to those he leaves behind. Love you, Robbie. Rest in peace.’
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