| Sly Dunbar | |
| Background: | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth Name: | Lowell Fillmore Dunbar |
| Birth Date: | 10 May 1952 |
| Birth Place: | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Death Place: | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genre: | Reggae |
| Occupation: | Musician |
| Years Active: | 1970–2026 |
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.
Dunbar was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on 10 May 1952.[1] 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.[1]
Speaking on his influences, Dunbar explained:[2]
In 1972, Dunbar met and became friends with Robbie Shakespeare, who was then 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 come out, because of that double tap on the rim nobody believe it was me on the drums, they thought it was some sort of sound effect we was using. Then when it go to number 1 and stay there, everybody started trying for that style and it soon become established."[3] 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."[4]
Dunbar and Shakespeare formed their Taxi Records label in 1980. It has seen releases from many international successful artists, including Black Uhuru, Chaka Demus and Pliers, Ini Kamoze, Beenie Man and Red Dragon.[1]
He played for the Aggrovators for Bunny Lee, the Upsetters for Lee Perry, the Revolutionaries for Joseph Hoo Kim, and recorded for Barry O'Hare in the 1990s.[1]
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).[5]
Sly and Robbie also played on Bob Dylan's albums Infidels and Empire Burlesque (using recordings from the Infidels sessions). Other sessions include their appearance on three Grace Jones albums, and work with Herbie Hancock, Joe Cocker, Serge Gainsbourg and the Rolling Stones.[1]
In 2008, Sly Dunbar collaborated with the Jamaican percussionist Larry McDonald, on McDonald's debut album Drumquestra.[6]
Dunbar appeared in the 2011 documentary Reggae Got Soul: The Story of Toots and the Maytals which was featured on the BBC.[7] [8]
In 1979, Brian Eno remarked of Sly Dunbar: " (...) So when you buy a reggae record, there's a 90 percent 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."[9]
Dunbar died from cancer at his home in Kingston, Jamaica, on 26 January 2026, at the age of 73.[10] [11]
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 one for the 1999 Best Reggae Album Grammy award for the Sly & Robbie album entitled Friends.[12]
Grammy Nominations
Grammy Wins
With Joan Armatrading
With Gary Barlow
With Dennis Brown
With Jackson Browne
With Jimmy Cliff
With Joe Cocker
With Bootsy Collins
With Carlene Davis
With Ian Dury
With Bob Dylan
With Gwen Guthrie
With Nona Hendryx
With Mick Jagger
With Garland Jeffreys
With Grace Jones
With Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers
With Jenny Morris
With Yoko Ono
With Sinéad O'Connor
With Barry Reynolds
With Carly Simon
With Simply Red
With The Rolling Stones
With Peter Tosh
