NEW YORK (AFP) – Jamaican bass guitarist Robbie Shakespeare, who shaped reggae duo Sly and Robbie with drummer Sly Dunbar, has died on the age of 68, the Jamaican minister of tradition has introduced.
“I’m in shock and sorrow after simply receiving the information that my good friend and brother, the legendary bassist Robbie Shakespeare has died,” Olivia Grange mentioned in a press launch on Wednesday (Dec 8).
“Sly and Robbie have been amongst Jamaica’s best musicians.”
In line with Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner, Shakespeare died in Florida, the place he had been hospitalised for kidney issues.
Born Sept 27, 1953, in Kingston, the Grammy award-winning bassist began enjoying with Aston Barrett, one of many future members of Bob Marley and the Wailers.
In 1973, he met Dunbar and so they later based probably the most well-known duos in reggae music, occurring to turn into profitable producers.
The pair collaborated with Jamaican reggae greats like Black Uhuru, the co-founder of the Wailers Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaacs, U-Roy, who died in February, and Lee “Scratch” Perry, who died in August.
By the beginning of the 80s, Sly and Robbie went worldwide, enjoying with artists together with Grace Jones, Bob Dylan, Madonna and the Rolling Stones.
In 1984, Black Uhuru’s album Anthem, which Shakespeare produced, received the primary Grammy award for reggae music.
Sly and Robbie additionally triumphed on the Grammys with their 1998 album Buddies.
Final yr, Rolling Stones journal ranked him seventeenth on the listing of greatest bassists in historical past.
“This improbable staff took bass enjoying and drumming to the very best stage as they made music for themselves as a bunch, and for a lot of different artists domestically and internationally,” Grange mentioned.
“Robbie’s loss will likely be felt by the business at residence and overseas.”