“It hurt but yuh jus’ haffi tek it easy,” were the words from Sly Dunbar, one half of the formidable drum-and-bass duo, Sly and Robbie, about the passing of his acclaimed sidekick, bassist Robbie Shakespeare.
The prolific drummer was trying to sound upbeat. But he was hardly in a mood to talk when THE STAR reached out to him on Wednesday afternoon, following news of the death of Shakespeare, who he teamed up with in the mid-1970s after they both established themselves as professional musicians.
The duo would go on to chart a musical course sparkling with the stuff of which legends are made.
Sly was at his sanctuary, his One Pop Studio in St Andrew, when he spoke to THE STAR. Also present was the engineer, Rorey Baker, who was a bit more forthcoming.
“What is there not to miss about Robbie? He was like a father to me. Him teach me so much … work ethics, not to get upset about nutten at all. As a youth and a ‘prentice engineer, Robbie accept me and he has been teaching me about life, both good and bad. Sly talks music 24 hours and Robbie talks life 24 hours, so there is always a balance,” Baker told THE STAR.
He knew the legendary bass player for 22 years and noted that the relationship was never that of boss and worker.
“It was always student and teacher, even when we on tour. But Robbie was a private man and he didn’t talk about his illness, and Sly worse. We know that Robbie would do his tests and medical thing regular, and anybody ask Sly, he would say, ‘Robbie good, enuh.’ Some things we just don’t talk about,” the engineer stated. Shakespeare had reportedly been ailing for some time and had undergone surgery related to his kidneys. He was living overseas and was in hospital in Florida.
Tributes poured in for Shakespeare, the Grammy award-winning musician who worked with ‘A’-list artistes in reggae and on the international circuit.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange was among the first to offer condolences.
“I am in shock and sorrow after just receiving the news that my friend and brother, the legendary bassist Robbie Shakespeare has died. Robbie and Sly Dunbar (the drummer) as Sly and Robbie, have been among Jamaica’s greatest musicians. This fantastic team took bass playing and drumming to the highest level as they made music for themselves as a group, and for many other artistes locally and internationally. Robbie’s loss will be felt by the industry at home and abroad. He will be sorely missed,” she said in a release.
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