Sly Dunbar, Legendary Reggae Drummer and Sly & Robbie Co‑Founder, Dies at 73
here’s a breakdown of the information provided in the text, focusing on Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare:
Key Information about Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare:
* Partnership: Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare formed a musical partnership in 1972.
* Prolific Rhythm Section: They are renowned as one of the most influential and prolific rhythm sections in music history, estimated to have played on over 200,000 recordings.
* Early Work & Influences: Dunbar began playing at 15 and had an early hit with Dave and Ansell Collins’ “Double Barrel.” Both were influenced by Motown, Philly soul, Stax Records, Studio One, and Treasure Isle.
* High Demand: They became the house band for Peter Tosh (playing on five albums) and were highly sought after by other artists.
* “Rub a Dub” Sound & Compass Point All Stars: They were central to the “rub a dub” sound in the early 80s and were made the core of the Compass Point All Stars by Island Records’ Chris Blackwell. This group produced albums for Grace Jones, Gwen Guthrie, and Joe Cocker.
* Major Collaborations: They worked with a huge range of artists, including:
* The Rolling Stones
* Bob Dylan
* Grace Jones
* Jimmy Cliff
* Black Uhuru
* Bootsy Collins
* Jackson Browne
* Joan Armatrading
* Dennis Brown
* Gary Barlow
* Ian Dury
* Yoko Ono
* Sinead O’Connor
* Simply red
* Own Albums: They also recorded albums as Sly & Robbie, experimenting with electronic sounds and achieving a hit with “Boops (Here To Go)” in 1987.
* Global Styles: They incorporated Latin and dancehall influences into their music.
* Sly Dunbar’s Birthdate: May 10, 1952.
* Sly Dunbar’s Death: January 26, 2026 (Note: This date appears to be a typo or error in the original text, as it is in the future.)
The text also includes a link to a YouTube video and a Twitter post about Sly Dunbar.