Photo: TimDuncan / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Sly Dunbar is, to me, the literal heartbeat of reggae. Born in Kingston and forever paired with Robbie Shakespeare, the duo Sly and Robbie may well be the most-recorded rhythm section in history. What I cherish is that he was never just a drummer keeping time; he was an architect who heard music in full, a producer's ear behind the kit. His grooves crossed far beyond reggae into pop and rock, pulling in legends along the way. His passing in early 2026 left a real silence, yet his beats endure. I still nod my head to that pocket with deep, lasting respect.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Sly Dunbar
- Name (Japanese)
- スライ・ダンバー
- Reading
- すらい・だんばー
- Born
- May 10, 1952 (age 74)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Dragon
- Origin
- Kingston, Jamaica
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- record producer / drummer / songwriter / reggae musician / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Sly Dunbar born?
Born May 10, 1952 (age 74).
Where is Sly Dunbar from?
Sly Dunbar is from Kingston, Jamaica.
What does Sly Dunbar do?
Sly Dunbar works as record producer, drummer, songwriter, reggae musician, musician.
Record producer — see all → · Drummer — see all → · More people from Jamaica →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.