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Reggae legend Bunny Wailer dies, aged 73

Bunny Wailer, the legendary reggae artist and co-founder of The Wailers alongside Bob Marley, has died, aged 73.

Wailer died on Tuesday in hospital in Jamaica. No official cause of death has been shared, though he had been hospitalised regularly after suffering a debilitating stroke in July 2020. 

Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, has paid tribute to the legendary figure, describing his death “a great loss for Jamaica and for reggae”.

Wailer founded The Wailers in 1963 with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, performing vocals and percussion. Wailer was pivotal in guiding reggae to international acclaim, particularly on the group’s 1973 album, ‘Burnin’’.

Wailer left the group to pursue a solo career in 1974, and remained active in music for decades to come. He won the Grammy award for best reggae album three times, in 1991, 1995, and 1997, and was awarded the Order Of Jamaica in 2012. 

Tributes to Bunny Wailer have come from across the global music scene. See some of those, and listen to his iconic track, ‘Dream Land’, below. 

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