Sly Dunbar

Lowell Fillmore "Sly" Dunbar, born 10 May 1952 in Kingstone, Surrey, Jamaica, was a Jamaican drummer and percussionist who began playing at 15 with the Yardbrooms and recorded his first session on Double Barrel, a Skin, Flesh & Bones album. In 1972 he met bassist Robbie Shakespeare, and the duo formed the rhythm section Sly and Robbie, playing on several tracks such as Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves" and Lee Perry's "Night Doctor", and collaborating with Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Grace Jones, Serge Gainsbourg, Joe Cocker, Herbie Hancock, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. Sly Dunbar solo releases include Simple Sly Man (1978), Sly Wicked and Slick (1979), Sly-Go-Ville (1982), and The Other Side of Dub (1988), while Sly & Robbie's Taxi Records label issued albums for Black Uhuru and Red Dragon. Sly Dunbar received two Grammy Awards (1985, 1999) and 13 nominations, and he remained active until his death from cancer on 26 January 2026, at the age of 73.