Two towering figures in Jamaican music and tradition had been formally honored this week by the College of Minnesota for his or her extraordinary contributions to the worldwide music panorama.
On Friday, Might 23, legendary drummer Sly Dunbar, O.D., one-half of the pioneering reggae duo Sly & Robbie, obtained the College’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The award acknowledges Dunbar’s decades-long function in shaping reggae’s distinct sound and his broader affect on worldwide music manufacturing.
Collectively, Sly & Robbie solid a rhythmic blueprint that helped outline reggae, whereas additionally pushing musical boundaries far past Jamaica. Their signature beats have powered hits for an eclectic combine of worldwide icons, together with Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Grace Jones, Sting, Sinéad O’Connor, and Carlos Santana, amongst many others.
For the reason that passing of longtime collaborator Robbie Shakespeare in 2021, Dunbar has continued to hold the torch, with the duo’s legacy nonetheless resonating all through the music world.
Festivities started a day earlier on Thursday, Might 22, when the College’s Faculty of Music introduced its Scholar of Distinction Award to Herbie Miller, C.D., Director and Curator of the Jamaica Music Museum (JaMM). A revered musicologist, historian, and producer, Miller has spent his profession preserving and selling Jamaica’s wealthy musical heritage.
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Below Miller’s management, JaMM has grown right into a dynamic cultural establishment, internet hosting exhibitions and occasions that hint the island’s sonic evolution—from mento and ska to dancehall and dub. A passionate advocate for a state-of-the-art music museum, Miller continues to champion efforts to institutionalize Jamaica’s musical legacy.
His contributions prolong into manufacturing and songwriting, with tracks like Really feel It and Survival Plan featured in main Hollywood movies. He has additionally labored alongside reggae greats similar to Peter Tosh, Toots and the Maytals, and The Skatalites.
The twin recognition of Dunbar and Miller by a number one American college underscores the worldwide influence of Jamaican music—and the urgency of preserving and celebrating its enduring cultural energy.
