Johannesburg – Legendary reggae drummer, Sly Dunbar, who gained fame as a member of the production duo “Sly & Robbie”, has died.
Better known to fans simply as Sly, Dunbar, whose real name was “Lowell Fillmore Dunbar,” passed away in the morning on Monday, 26 January 2026.
His wife, Thelma, confirmed his death to Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner.
“About seven o’clock this morning, I went to wake him up, and he wasn’t responding,” Thelma was quoted as saying.
“I called the doctor, and that was the news.”
An exact cause of death was not given, though Sly had reportedly been ill for some time.
Drummer Sly and talented bass player Robbie were a prolific rhythm section in reggae music, playing for top artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Lee “Scratch” Perry, and Junior Murvin.
Sly, the 13-time Grammy nominee, and Robbie also worked with artists across other genres, including Madonna, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, and Britney Spears.
The reggae production duo made hundreds of songs and released at least 20 original studio albums.
Sly’s death at 73 came a few years after the passing of his long-time friend and musical partner, Robbie.
Robbie passed away in December 2021, at the age of 68.
