Martin’s International Pays Tribute to ‘Toots’ Hibbert

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 By Aubrey Campbell

 

THEY GOT DREAMS. (l-r); Ralpheus ‘Raleigh’ Gordon; Frederick N. ‘Toots’ Hibbert, OJ.; Nathaniel ‘Jerry’ Matthias.


CHICAGO, IL. September 12, 2020 -- Martin’s International, the parent organization of IRAWMA (International Reggae and World Music Awards), last weekend joined a growing list of organizations and individuals in paying tribute to reggae legend, ‘Toot’s Hibbert who passed away on Friday, September 11, at a hospital, in Kingston, Jamaica.

 

Hibbert was 77 years old. It is unclear if he died from the COVID 19 disease.

 

In a statement from Ephraim Martin, President/CEO, the Chicago-based organization offered its deepest and sincerest condolences to the family, friends and associates of the reggae legend “Toots” Hibbert.

 

The statement hailed the late pop culture icon, noting that, Frederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert, OJ., the IRAWAMA multi-award winner

(International Reggae and World Music Awards) over the last 38 years, was an Inductee to the IRAWMA Hall of Fame/Lifetime Award, and a recipient of “TheReggae50”, Award, fifty years of reggae from Martin’s International at the 37th IRAWMA in Jamaica, last year.

 

The statement further highlighted the Grammy Award winner, as well as being a finalist in the recently held Jamaican Festival Song Contest, in which Buju Banton won the contest, and gave credit to ‘Toots’ and others.

 

Toots, along with Eric Donaldson has championed the annual contest over the years.

 

 

POWERFUL AND POPULAR. (l-r); Ephraim Martin, Founder/President/CEO of Martins’ International, producer/host of the annual IRAWMA Awards; Hon. Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture and Hon. Frederick Nathaniel ‘Toots’ Hibbert, OJ., at the 37th staging of the IRAWMA Awards ceremony, Kingston, Jamaica last year.

 

-      contributed

The Jamaican singer and songwriter, leader for the reggae and ska band Toots & the Maytals, whose1968 song "Do the Reggay" is widely credited as the birth of the name for reggae music. 

Hibbert was born in May Pen, Clarendon, Jamaica, the youngest of eight children. Hibbert's parents were both strict Seventh-Day Adventist preachers so he grew up singing gospel music in a church choir.

 

Both parents died young and by age 11 years, ‘Toots’ was an orphan who went to live with his brother, John in the Trench Town neighborhood of Kingston.

 

In 1962, while working at a local barbershop, he was heard singing inside by Ralphus "Raleigh" Gordon and Nathaniel "Jerry" Matthias. They would become a trio forming The Maytals -- which was named after Hibbert's hometown of May Pen.

 

Among his favorite songs are 54-46, Monkey Man, I Got Dreams and Reggae Got Soul.

 

 

--oo—

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