Sly Dunbar, Reggae Pioneer and Half of Sly & Robbie, Dies at 73

Reggae has lost one of its most important architects with the death of Sly Dunbar, the innovative drummer who helped carry the sound from Kingston to the world. He was 73.

Dunbar’s wife, Thelma, told The Gleaner that she found him unresponsive at their home on Monday, January 26. She said the musician had been ill and was receiving treatment both at home and overseas.

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

In a statement shared with TMZ, Dunbar’s family honored his legacy and reach. “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,” the statement read, adding that his “extraordinary talent, innovation, and lasting contributions will never be forgotten.”

Dunbar rose to global prominence as one half of the legendary duo Sly & Robbie, alongside bassist Robbie Shakespeare, who died in 2021. Together, they became one of the most recorded rhythm sections in history, appearing on an estimated 200,000 tracks and earning two Grammy Awards with 13 nominations.

After first gaining attention as part of The Revolutionaries, the pair broke out on their own, later touring with the Rolling Stones in 1978 and launching Taxi Records. Their final collaborative album, “Dubrising,” arrived in 2014.

Reflecting on his partnership with Shakespeare in 2008, Dunbar said, “It was like magic, I always say… ‘What’s the future for us? We’re not owning ourselves on tape, producers are.’”

Born Lowell Fillmore Dunbar in Kingston, Jamaica, his influence extended well beyond reggae, shaping pop, rock, and hip-hop for decades. Tributes poured in from artists and leaders alike, underscoring a career that changed the global sound of modern music.