Sly Dunbar, Reggae Drummer, Dies at 73
His wife found him unresponsive and doctors pronounced him dead on Jan. 26, 2026, the Jamaica Gleaner reported.
ABC NewsSly Dunbar, legendary reggae drummer on tracks by Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, dies as 73
Boston HeraldSly Dunbar, legendary reggae drummer who anchored tracks from Bob Marley to Bob Dylan, dies as 73
Associated PressSly Dunbar, legendary reggae drummer who anchored tracks from Bob Marley to Bob Dylan, dies as 73
DeadlineSly Dunbar Dies: Drummer Of Celebrated Reggae Rhythm Duo Sly And Robbie Was 73
Overview
Lowell Fillmore "Sly" Dunbar, 73, died on Jan. 26, 2026 after his wife, Thelma Dunbar, found him unresponsive and doctors pronounced him dead, the Jamaica Gleaner reported.
As one half of Sly & Robbie with bassist Robbie Shakespeare, Dunbar anchored rhythms on Bob Dylan's Infidels (1983), Empire Burlesque (1985) and Down in the Groove (1988), records show.
Ali Campbell of UB40 posted on Facebook that Dunbar was "a true icon" and that modern beats "wouldn't be what they are" without his influence, according to the Facebook post.
Dunbar was nominated 13 times for a Grammy and won twice, in 1985 for Black Uhuru's Anthem and in 1999 for Sly & Robbie's Friends, records show.
Family and representatives did not immediately release a cause of death or funeral plans, and complete information on survivors was not immediately available, the Jamaica Gleaner reported.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Dunbar’s death as a celebratory legacy piece, using laudatory descriptors ('legendary', 'celebrated'), prioritizing high-profile collaborations and awards, and sequencing achievements to emphasize influence. Editorial choices highlight impact and continuity; separately, source content includes peer tributes (Ali Campbell, Rolling Stone, Brian Eno) that supply direct praise.