Legendary record producer Bunny Lee has died at the age of 79.
A pioneer on the UK reggae scene, his death was confirmed in a tweet by music journalist Edward Kessler.
Kessler wrote: “Sad to learn the mighty Bunny Lee has passed.
“He came to the 2018 Q Awards with the Trojan mob wearing a sailor’s cap and a pair of sliders.
“He delivered a very, very long speech and charmed everyone. He held my hand for about ten minutes. A genius producer. RIP Bunny Lee.”
Bunny’s cause of death is currently unknown.
He was born in 1941 and grew up in Kingston, Jamaica.
In 1962, he got his break into the music industry via brother-in-law and iconic reggae singer, Derrick Morgan.
His first big hit as a producer came in 1967, and he’d soon set up his own label.
By the late 60s he’d firmly established himself as a leading player in Jamaican music production.
By the early 70s, he was a main player in the UK’s increasingly popular reggae scene.
In 1969, he had produced Max Romeo’s Wet Dreams, which landed in the top ten of the UK charts.
Between 1969 and 1977, Bunny was renowned for his prolific output, producing records in the thousands.
His 1974 collaboration with Johnny Clarke yielded a number of classics, including None Shall Escape Judgement and Move Out of Babylon.
Bunny has one son, Errol, who he shares with singer Marlene Webber.
Born in 1968, during the heyday of his father’s fabulous career, Errol is now believed to run a not-for-profit organisation, Caring Kids’ Concerts, which mentors young people getting onto the music scene.
Bunny was also famed for his friendship and work with Osbourne Ruddock, aka King Tubby, a pioneer of manipulating instrumentals into exciting new directions.