Reggae legend Sly Dunbar, who played with everyone from Bob Marley to The Rolling Stones, has died at the age of 73.
One of the genre's most revered drummers, he played on tracks such as Bob Marley's Punky Reggae Party and Dave and Ansell Collins' classic, Double Barrel.
However, he was better known as half of the production team Sly & Robbie - who produced groundbreaking hits for everyone from Peter Tosh and Black Uhuru to non-reggae acts like Bob Dylan, Grace Jones and Ian Dury.
Dunbar's death was first reported by his wife, Thelma, who told the Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner she had found him unresponsive on Monday morning. The musician's agent and publicist confirmed the news to the BBC.
Born Lowell Fillmore Dunbar in Kingston, Jamaica, he started out playing on tin cans, driven by watching Lloyd Knibbs and the Skatalites on television. Dunbar's transition to professional drumming came in his teens when he formed the rhythm section of the Revolutionaries with bassist Robbie Shakespeare, becoming regular session musicians at the acclaimed Channel One studio.
Dunbar and Shakespeare created a distinctive sound that emphasized rhythm over melody, introducing the groundbreaking 'rockers' rhythm which energized reggae music.
During the 1970s, they worked with prominent reggae artists like Gregory Isaacs and Dennis Brown while also touring with Peter Tosh. Legend has it, the duo lived on bread and water in those days, saving up to establish their own production company, which came to fruition with Taxi Records in 1980, nurturing a new wave of artists like Shaggy and Beenie Man.
By the 1980s, Sly & Robbie began collaborating with stars like Grace Jones, contributing to the album Nightclubbing, which solidified their place in pop music history.
In the 1990s, they shifted their focus to a bright, melodic take on dancehall, achieving success with hits like Tease Me.
At the time of his death, it was estimated that Dunbar had participated in over 200,000 recordings, a testament to his extensive influence in the industry. Following his passing, tributes poured in, with British DJ David Rodigan hailing him as a 'true icon' and one of the greatest drummers of all time.
The exact cause of Dunbar's death has not been announced, though he had reportedly been ill for a while. His wife noted that he had enjoyed a good day prior to his passing and expressed her disbelief at the suddenness of his death.
