Toots Hibbert RIP

[Satchmo Distel]

This is devastating news. Toots was arguably as important as Bob Marley (in Jamaica) and hit his peak earlier. Huge influence on British ska, whilst also taking Jamaican music beyond ska because he was so strongly influenced by gospel and soul (he could have easily fitted in at Stax).

https://variety.com/2020/music/news/...es-1234767701/

[elguapo4]

Really sad news, but also unfortunately expected. Wonderful artist who I thought I'd never see live. Finally caught him in November 2018,and though he was in his mid 70s, he still gave a brilliant performance.

[ad hoc]

Peace perfect peace Toots. RIP

[Benjm]

He was a great singer and showman whose voice perfectly complemented the band's distinctive sound. I saw him a couple of times, most recently in 2009 at an Island Records 40th anniversary show, and it's good to know that he was still delivering the goods a decade later.

[Satchmo Distel]

I regret that I never saw him live. A missed opportunity to see and hear a true great.

[Janik]

The article has him as the frontman of Toots and the Maytals. But as per the interview he did with RadMac (actually Rad) only a couple of weeks ago, that isn't quite right. He said his latest album just involved him and some one-off collaborators on certain songs. When asked "Just Toots then, no Maytals" there was confusion before he explained that no, he alone was Toots and the Maytals. Just him.

[Sits]

Very sad news, RIP.

[Sporting]

I keep misreading the thread title as Tony Hibbert RIP:

[Satchmo Distel]

The article has him as the frontman of Toots and the Maytals. But as per the interview he did with RadMac (actually Rad) only a couple of weeks ago, that isn't quite right. He said his latest album just involved him and some one-off collaborators on certain songs. When asked "Just Toots then, no Maytals" there was confusion before he explained that no, he alone was Toots and the Maytals. Just him.

Yes. The group was originally a vocal trio but then Chris Blackwell signed them and they eventually became just Toots plus whichever musicians he was recording with at the time. Wiki:

We're all original members of Toots and the Maytals band. First it was Toots and the Maytals, three guys: Toots, Raleigh, and Jerry…And then they were signed to Island Records, Chris Blackwell. And we were their recording band...[Blackwell] decided that the backing band that back all of the songs, the recording band, should be the Maytals band. So everything came under Toots and the Maytals. And then we hit the road in 1975

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toots_..._early_success

http://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/sherman.html

I infer that The Maytals was originally the name of the vocal trio, but then in Toots and the Maytals, the latter were backing musicians and background singers.

[Nefertiti2]

I saw him and some Maytals.

Unforgettable

some of the first reggae i ever heard from my sister's copy of The Harder They Come soundtrack album

[Nefertiti2]

Take Toots Home

[Benjm]

Having mentioned 'the band's distinctive sound' upthread, that perhaps isn't quite right then. Closer might be to say that his records have their own distinct character.

[anton pulisov]

Absolute legend.

Was supposed to see him live in 2013 but the concert was cancelled because some idiot threw a bottle at his head at a concert a few weeks earlier.

I would put him in his own private genre. Jamaican soul.

[Satchmo Distel]

I agree; the gospel influence on his style was huge.

[Gangster Octopus]

Loved the end of Le Tour highlights.

[Jah Womble]

RIP indeed.

His latest single Warning Warning proves beyond any doubt that Toots was far from finished creatively. Very sad news.

[anton pulisov]

The Funky Kingston album is the greatest album to come out of Jamaica

[Satchmo Distel]

Funky Kingston

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=g7...A5gk_CeJ_i2Q74

[danielmak]

I'm sorry to hear about his passing.

For me, of the international stars, he wasn't one that really spoke to me. Him, Jimmy Cliff, and Third World are the three of the legit reggae stars where I like a song or two but didn't bother buying anything because the albums couldn't sustain my interest. Still, as a big reggae fan I think any artist that isn't some kind of corporate label concoction that can help people discover reggae is good.

[Drumchapel Dave]

RIP indeed.

His latest single Warning Warning proves beyond any doubt that Toots was far from finished creatively. Very sad news.

Everything I'd heard from the new album sounded terrific, which makes his death even more heartbreaking. RIP Toots.

[Jah Womble]

Absolutely. Toots was interviewed by Radcliffe and Maconie on 6Music just the other week - and was hilariously laconic and blase.

[MsD]

I was hoping to see him at Rebel Salute this January but ‘‘twas not to be. (The whole performance is on YouTube.)

I saw him (them) a couple of times at festivals in the UK and they were excellent.

A wonderful songwriter and performer.