Reggae Drummer Sly Dunbar Dies at 73

Sly Dunbar, the influential Jamaican drummer renowned for his work as half of the reggae rhythm section Sly and Robbie, died Monday at his home in Kingston. He was 73.

Dunbar's wife, Thelma, confirmed the death to local media, describing how she found him unresponsive that morning. "About seven o'clock this morning I went to wake him up and he wasn't responding. I called the doctor and that was the news," she said. Dunbar had been dealing with health issues for some time, though no specific cause of death was disclosed. Thelma noted that the previous day had been a positive one for him, with friends visiting and him eating well, a contrast to his recent struggles. "I knew he was sick... but I didn't know that he was this sick," she added.

Born Lowell Fillmore Dunbar on May 10, 1952, in Kingston, Dunbar grew up immersed in the island's vibrant music scene. Inspired by drummers like Lloyd Knibb of the Skatalites and influenced by soul acts such as Otis Redding and Sly and the Family Stone, which earned him his nickname, he began playing as a child. By age 13, he convinced his mother to let him leave school to pursue music full time. His first recording came in 1969 with producer...