Master drummer Sly Dunbar and Herbie Miller, curator of the Jamaica Music Museum, have been honoured by the University of Minnesota for their contribution to making reggae a global brand.

On May 23, the university bestowed Dunbar with a Lifetime Achievement Award, while Miller received the Scholar of Distinction Award. The presentations took place virtually.

During the 1970s, Dunbar and Miller were members of Peter Tosh’s band and management. In interviews with the Jamaica Observer, they expressed gratitude at being recognised.

Herbie Miller

“It means a lot to me, but I would like to share this with all di musicians because it’s not only me playing on di records. Yuh have elders who were there an’ never got this recognition,” said Dunbar, who along with bassist Robbie Shakespeare played and produced countless hit songs.

He paid tribute to Shakespeare, who died in 2021, saxophonist Tommy McCook, keyboardists Winston Wright and Ossie Hibbert, and fellow drummers Carlton “Santa” Davis and Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace.

From the Olympic Gardens area of St Andrew, Dunbar, 73, started his career in the late 1960s. Night Doctor and Double Barrel were the initial hit songs he played on, followed by a prolific run during the 1970s when he was the driving force behind The Revolutionaries, house band at Channel One studio.

Soon Forward (Gregory Isaacs), Love And Devotion (Jimmy Riley), Revolution and Sitting And Watching (Dennis Brown), Tease Me and Murder She Wrote (Chaka Demus and Pliers) are some of the songs Dunbar and Shakespeare produced for their Taxi label.

Miller was raised in east Kingston and developed a love for jazz as a teenager. He managed Peter Tosh during the singer-songwriter’s stint with Columbia Records, which yielded the landmark Legalize It and Equal Rights albums.

The University of Minnesota pointed to his profile as an administrator and authority on Jamaican music for their acknowledgement.

“This is really telling me that I am reaching people, so I appreciate it, really appreciate it. I do what I do because it’s a pleasure to me,” said Miller.

Established in 1851, the University of Minnesota’s alumni includes folk legend Bob Dylan, and United States vice-presidents Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale.