Bob Marley keyboardist dies in NY at 47

AP, Sep 6, 2009 7:00 pm PDT
Jamaican reggae producer Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson, a keyboardist for Bob Marley, has died in New York at age 47.

Fellow producer Cleveland "Clevie" Browne says Johnson died Tuesday at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital on Long Island, following a heart attack.

Browne says Johnson was diagnosed with kidney failure in December while in New York City. He says doctors told Johnson he had a blood clot in his brain.

Johnson was known for his innovative work on some of the biggest dancehall hits of the 1980s and 1990s.

As part of "Steely & Clevie," the two dominated music production in Jamaica for decades. They helped to transform dancehall music by embracing digital technology in the studio.

They also worked with global acts like No Doubt and Sean Paul.

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