Sly Dunbar

Lowell Fillmore "Sly" Dunbar (10 May 1952 – 26 January 2026) was a Jamaican drummer, best known as one half of the prolific Jamaican rhythm section and reggae production duo Sly and Robbie.

Life and career

Dunbar was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on 10 May 1952. He began playing at 15 in a band called the Yardbrooms. His first appearance on a recording was on the Dave and Ansell Collins album Double Barrel. Dunbar joined a band with Ansell Collins called Skin, Flesh and Bones.

Speaking on his influences, Dunbar explained: "My mentor was the drummer for the Skatalites, Lloyd Knibb. And I used to listen a lot to the drummer for Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Al Jackson Jr., and a lot of Philadelphia. And there are other drummers in Jamaica, like Santa and Carly from the Wailers Band, Winston Bennett, Paul Douglas, and Mikey Boo. I respect all these drummers and have learnt a lot from them. From them, I listened and created my own style. They played some things I copied, and other things I recreated."

In 1972, Dunbar met and became friends with Robbie Shakespeare, who was then the bass guitarist for the Hippy Boys. Shakespeare recommended Dunbar to Bunny Lee as a possible session drummer for the Aggrovators. Dunbar and Shakespeare decided to continue performing together. They worked with Peter Tosh and his band until 1981, recording five albums.

Dunbar noted about the Mighty Diamonds' song "Right Time": "When that tune first came out, because of that double tap on the rim, nobody believed it was me on the drums; they thought it was some sort of sound effect we were using. Then, when it went to number 1 and stayed there, everybody started trying for that style, and it soon became established." According to The Independent, the entire album Right Time was "revolutionary" – the breakthrough album of "masters of groove and propulsion" Dunbar and Shakespeare, with "Sly's radical drumming matching the singers' insurrectionary lyrics blow-for-blow."

Dunbar and Shakespeare formed their Taxi Records label in 1980. It has seen releases from many internationally successful artists, including Black Uhuru, Chaka Demus and Pliers, Ini Kamoze, Beenie Man, and Red Dragon.

He played for the Aggrovators for Bunny Lee, the Upsetters for Lee Perry, and the Revolutionaries for Joseph Hoo Kim, and he recorded for Barry O'Hare in the 1990s.

Dunbar played drums on several noteworthy tracks produced by Lee Perry, including "Night Doctor", Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves", and Bob Marley's "Punky Reggae Party" 12" track (although the track was produced by Perry, Dunbar's drum track was actually recorded at Joe Gibbs' Duhaney Park studio).

Sly and Robbie also played on Bob Dylan's albums Infidels and Empire Burlesque (using recordings from the Infidels sessions). Other sessions included their appearance on three Grace Jones albums and work with Herbie Hancock, Joe Cocker, Serge Gainsbourg, and the Rolling Stones.

In 2008, Sly Dunbar collaborated with the Jamaican percussionist Larry McDonald on McDonald's debut album, Drumquestra. Dunbar appeared in the 2011 documentary Reggae Got Soul: The Story of Toots and the Maytals, which was featured on the BBC.

In 1979, Brian Eno remarked of Sly Dunbar: "(...) So when you buy a reggae record, there's a 90 per cent chance the drummer is Sly Dunbar. You get the impression that Sly Dunbar is chained to a studio seat somewhere in Jamaica, but in fact, what happens is that his drum tracks are so interesting, they get used again and again."

Dunbar died from cancer at his home in Kingston, Jamaica, on 26 January 2026, at the age of 73.

Awards

Sly Dunbar was a 13-time Grammy nominee. He received two Grammy awards: the 1985 Grammy for Best Reggae Recording for the Black Uhuru album Anthem, for which Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare were producers, and the 1999 Best Reggae Album Grammy award for the Sly & Robbie album entitled Friends.

Grammy Nominations

2014: Best Reggae Album, Reggae Connection

2013: Best Reggae Album, New Legend – Jamaica 50th Edition

2011: Best Reggae Album, Made In Jamaica

2011: Best Reggae Album, One Pop Reggae +

2009: Best Reggae Album, Amazing

2008: Best Reggae Album, Anniversary

2007: Best Reggae Album, Rhythm Doubles

2005: Best Reggae Album, The Dub Revolutionaries

1999: Best Reggae Album, Friends

1987: Best Reggae Recording, Brutal (Album)

1986: Best R&B Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist), "Bass and Trouble"