| Toots Hibbert | |
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Toots Hibbert performing with Toots & the Maytals Orlando, Florida Photo: Karl Simpson |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Frederick Nathaniel Hibbert |
| Born | December 8, 1945 May Pen, Jamaica |
| Origin | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genres | Ska, rocksteady, reggae, roots reggae |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter, bandleader |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Associated acts | Toots & the Maytals |
Frederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert (born 8 December 1945) is a ska and roots reggae singer and leader of the reggae band Toots & the Maytals.
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Born in May Pen, Parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, the youngest of seven children, he grew up singing gospel music in a church choir. He moved to Kingston as a teenager in the early 1960s, and met Raleigh Gordon and Jerry Matthias, and they formed The Maytals. The Maytals became one of the most popular vocal groups in Jamaica in the 1960s, recording with producers Coxsone Dodd, Prince Buster, Byron Lee and Leslie Kong. This success included winning Jamaica's National Popular Song Contest three times with songs Hibbert wrote: in 1966 with "Bam Bam", 1969 with "Sweet and Dandy", and 1972 with "Pomps & Pride".[1]
Hibbert was one of the first artists to use the word reggae, in 1968's "Do The Reggay", an early reggae song. He also appeared in the groundbreaking Jamaican film The Harder They Come. Toots still tours the world today, and his band won the Grammy for best reggae album in 2004. In 2006, Toots & the Maytals covered Radiohead's "Let Down" for the Easy Star All-Stars album Radiodread, a reggae version of the English rock band's OK Computer.
Much of Hibbert's recorded output reflects his mainstream evangelical Christian upbringing. He has been known to also write about Rastafarian themes as well. He also can play every instrument in his band.[2]
Toots recently collaborated with executive producer Malik Al Nasir of MediaCPR and Steel Pulse's Sidney Mills, who produced Jamaican percussionist Larry McDonald's album "Dumquestra" released in 2009. Toots' track is called "What about the Children?", a house track with accompanying video shot on location in New York. Toots performed vocals with Iowa reggae band Public Property on their album "Work to Do" in 2009.
Hibbert was also a judge for the 10th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.[3]
Hibbert recently collaborated with the Jacksonville, Florida southern rock/blues group, JJ Grey & MOFRO. He is featured in their song, The Sweetest Thing, on their new album, Georgia Warhorse.
Hibbert joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a performance of Louie Louie during their New Year's eve performance on December 31, 2011 held in St. Barts by Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich. The private bash was invitation only and around 300 guests including George Lucas, Martha Stewart, Marc Jacobs and Jimmy Buffett attended the party at Abramovich's $90 million estate. [4]