Bass player Robbie Shakespeare, who formed a prolific partnership with drummer Sly Dunbar as Sly and Robbie, died in Florida on December 8 at age 68.
Shakespeare had been in ill health for some time but no cause of death was given at the time this story was posted.
The stocky Shakespeare played on songs and albums that helped define roots-reggae and reggae bass. He had many admirers including saxophonist Dean Fraser, his friend of over 40 years.
"Robbie was a different kinda bass player, a one of a kind sound and a one of a kind person," said Fraser.
Shakespeare played on countless classic songs such as Concrete Jungle by The Wailers, Marcus Garvey by Burning Spear, Buckingham Palace by Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown's Revolution, Baltimore by The Tamlins and Shine Eye Gal by Black Uhuru.
He and Dunbar produced Anthem by Black Uhuru which won the first Best Reggae Album Grammy Award in 1985.
Sly and Robbie won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 1999 with Friends.
Shakespeare is the latest reggae luminary to die in 2021. He was pre-deceased by Bunny Wailer, Lee "Scratch" Perry, singer Ernest Wilson and drummer Mikey "Boo" Richards.
Written By Howard Campbell