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Toots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are considered legends of reggae and ska music. Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, the leader of the group, was born in May Pen in the Parish of Clarendon, Jamaica. He was the youngest of seven children. He grew up singing gospel music in a church choir, but went to Kingston when he was a teenager in the early 60s.
In Kingston, he met and recorded with Raleigh Gordon and Jerry Matthias, thus forming the original Maytals. Early recordings may have been attributed to "The Vikings". The Maytals, as the band were initially known, recorded at Studio One early in their career. The band officially changed their name to Toots and the Maytals around 1970. Their sound is a unique, original combination of reggae, ska, soul, gospel and rock.
The Maytals' song "Do the Reggay", a 1968 single, is often credited with coining the word reggae. Classic songs written and recorded by the group have been covered by the likes of The Clash, The Specials, and Sublime, and the group was featured in one of reggae's greatest breakthrough events - The Harder They Come, the 1972 film and soundtrack starring Jimmy Cliff.
Toots and the Maytals dissolved in the early 1980s after having toured throughout the world for many years, but was revived in the early 90s to continue touring and recording successfully.
The band recently won the 2005 grammy award for reggae for the album True Love, an album consisting of re-recorded versions of their classics alongside popular and legendary musicians such as Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards, as well as popular artists today such as No Doubt, Trey Anastasio, The Roots, and Shaggy.
Trivia
- There are several roads named after them in a working class St Andrew neighbourhood called Cooreville Gardens.
- They are the best selling reggae group ever.
- Toots revealed during an interview to have made the number 54-46 up for the sake of the song '54-46 That's My Number', denying that 54-46 was his actual prison number. Furthermore, he maintains his innocence in being held for drug charges and claims the prison ordeal was actually a malicious set up.
External links
- Official website
- Lyrics
- Official Toots Myspace
- Discography at X Ray Music
- Concert Photos and Video from Show in Vancouver
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