Tag Archives: 2026

Sly Dunbar

On January 26, 2026, Lowell Fillmore “Sly” Dunbar died aged 73. He was musician (drums, percussion), best known as one half of the Jamaican rhythm section and reggae production duo Sly and Robbie. Sly performed and recorded with The Aggrovators, The Upsetters, The Revolutionaries, Peter Tosh, Bob Dylan, Grace Jones, Herbie Hancock, Joe Cocker, The Rolling Stones, Joan Armatrading, Serge Gainsbourg, Larry McDonald, Gary Barlow, Dennis Brown, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Cliff, Bootsy Collins, Carlene Davis, Ian Dury, Gwen Guthrie, Nona Hendryx, Mick Jagger, Garland Jeffreys, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Jenny Morris, Yoko Ono, Sinéad O’Connor, Barry Reynolds, Carly Simon and Simply Red.

Ralph Towner

On January 18, 2026, Ralph Towner died aged 85. He was musician (guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion, trumpet, and French horn), composer, arranger and bandleader. He was member of the bands Paul Winter Consort, Atmosphere, but was best known as founding member of Oregon. Towner has performed and recorded with Azimuth, Bill Bruford, Salvatore Bonafede, Horace Arnold, Jerry Granelli, Vince Mendoza, Maria Pia De Vito, Gary Burton, Larry Coryell, Pino Daniele, Cyrus Faryar, Robben Ford, David Friesen, Jan Garbarek, Charlie Haden, Egberto Gismonti, Gerri Granger, Trilok Gurtu, Tim Hardin, Keith Jarrett, Maria Joao, Joseph LoDuca, Andy Middleton, Duke Pearson, Terry Plumeri, Michael Portal, Kenny Wheeler and Weather Report. As leader he released 27 albums.

Bob Weir

On January 10, 2026, Robert Hall Weir died aged 78. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, member of the bands The Other Ones, Kingfish, The Bob Weir Band, Bobby and the Midnites, Scaring the Children, RatDog, Furthur, Dead & Company, but was best known as founding member and guitarist of Grateful Dead. As leader he released four albums.