It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of legendary bassist Robbie Shakespeare.
Robert Warren Dale Shakespeare (September 27,1953 – December 8 2021) was a Jamaican bass guitarist and record producer, best known as the one half of the reggae rhythm section and production duo Sly and Robbie, with drummer Sly Dunbar. The multi Grammy winning rhythm twins are said to be two of the most recordrd musicians in history with a catalog of over 200,000 songs including the reggae anthems Bam Bam and Murder She Wrote. Regarded as one of the most influential reggae bassists of all time. Shakespeare was also known for his creative use of electronics and production effects units. He was sometimes nicknamed "Basspeare". Last year, Rolling Stone magazine placed him at number 17 on its list of the 50 greatest bassists of all time, saying: "No other musical entity in the post-Marley era has been so omnipresent in shaping the sound of Jamaica and bringing it to the world."
As a part of Sly and Robbie, Shakespeare worked with various reggae artists such as Bob Marley, U-Roy, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Sugar Minott, Augustus Pablo, Yellowman, Black Uhuru, Chakademus and Pliers, Charlie Chaplin, Cornell Campbell, Culture, Frankie Paul, Foundation, Max Romeo, Half Pint, the Tamlins, Horace Andy, Junior Byles, Prince Far-I, Luciano, Michael Palmer, Junior Delgado, Jacob Miller, Jimmy Cliff, Jimmy Riley, Junior Reid, Ky-Mani Marley, Brent Dowe, Ansell Collins, Linval Thompson, Mad Cobra, the Itals, Cutty Ranks, Beenie Man, Matisyahu, Marcia Griffiths, Toots Hibbert, Maxi Priest, the Mighty Diamonds, Johnny Osbourne, Yabby You, the Paragons, Big Youth, Echo Minott, Barrington Levy, Horace Andy, Junior Byles, the Meditations, Rico Rodriguez, Lone Ranger, Ini Kamoze, Ronnie Davis, Shabba Ranks, Wailing Souls, Yami Bolo.
His production work also extended beyond the reggae genre, covering various pop and rock artists such as Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, The Tom-Tom Club, Sinead O'Connor, Carly Simon, Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker, Sting, Alicia Keys, Michael Franti, No Doubt, Queen Latifa, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Simply Red, Doug E Fresh, Yoko Ono, Serge Gainsbourg, Jackson Browne, and Grace Jones. Prior to his involvement in Sly and Robbie, he was a member of the session groups The Revolutionaries and The Aggrovators.
Robbie passed away in a Florida hospital after undergoing kidney surgery at the age of 68.
His legacy will live forever.
Bless up Itinually Mr. Shakespeare
❤️💛💚