Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert
Germaine Smith, Staff Reporter
TOOTS WAS born Frederick Hibbert in the rural town of May Pen in Clarendon.
Like a great number of persons in his craft, Toots' days of singing began in they church, but eventually seeped into the secular world.
Toots eventually found youth in his age group with similar talents and together they formed the Maytals. The original group was made up of Hibbert, Nathaniel 'Jerry' Mathias and Henry 'Raleigh' Gordon, who were also from May Pen.
They formed the group in the early 1960s and through their harmonising are credited by many for being the first to introduce the word 'reggae' to the world by using it in their song Do The Reggay. Although the music was there before, it is widely believed the word was introduced by Toots.
The Maytals started their recording career at the legendary Studio One with producer Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd and their first album, Hallelujah reportedly did well. They eventually left the camp however, to join with producer Prince Buster, where they grew sharply in recognition both locally and overseas.
SEVERAL HITS
During the 1960s they hit it big with several hits from different producers. Among them were Dog War, Daddy and Broadway Jungle, but this popularity soared to even greater heights with their victory in the 1966 Jamaican Festival Song Competition with Bam Bam.
This was followed by victories in the same competition in 1969 and 1972 with Sweet and Dandy and Pomp and Pride respectively.
In the midst of the fame, however, Toots was arrested for marijuana possession and incarcerated for several months. Many felt the singer was unfairly targetted, so the remaining Maytals waited for him and did not record a note until he was released from prison.
The trio returned to business, even though the music was said to be changing from ska to reggae.
The group, however, remained focused, and using his prison experience Toots penned the tune 54-46 That's My Number (in reference to his prison number), which they recorded for producer Leslie Kong .
HUGE HIT
The song was a huge hit in both Jamaica and England and stamped the Maytals' name firmly on to music charts.
One of their crowning moments came when one of their greatest hits Pressure Drop was included on the soundtrack of the film The Harder They Come and they were featured in the classic as well. This earned them significantly more limelight than they already commanded and opened up foreign markets even more.
Producer Leslie Kong died, however, and the hits began to wane. They renamed the band Toots & the Maytals, but it did not help push their record sales back up. The group eventually broke up in 1981, and Toots began working with producers Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. This formula gave him some amount of international recognition through the '80s and, by the early 1990s, Toots formed a new Maytals, which remain to this day.
Many more albums to come
SUNDAY GLEANER: How do you feel about your Reggae Grammy nomination?
T.H.: I feel good about it. I feel good that this one has been nominated with the rest of good albums with some good songs.
SG: This is not your first Grammy nomination. How different do you feel compared to previous times?
T.H.: This time, each time I always get nominated with some good songs. So they don't give it to me, but I appreciate the nomination. So if I get it, I feel cool. If I don't get it I still feel cool.
SG: Describe 2004 for you.
T.H.: It was very busy, 'cause I was doing the new album. I was doing it with all these great American songwriters and singers and musicians like Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, The Roots, Ken Boothe, U-Roy, Marcia Griffiths. I was so busy I never stopped working hard. Last year was hard work, but it was so good 'cause I got everyone to sing my songs and there were no problems. I got people to do things with me and they were glad to do it.
SG: Much praise has been heaped on the album. What are your personal feelings on it?
T.H.: I think it is one of the best albums from me and also one of the best coming from Jamaica. I really appreciate it over the world. It has been a good seller. Very very very very good seller, quick quick quick, fast fast fast (laughs). As far as it is concerned, it's memories and a history for the younger generation to know that we can use the Jamaican roots with the American roots and put them together and it is still gold Reggae. Its a good album for the youths to learn from.
SG: For a man who has achieved so much in your three decades and more in the business, what more do you feel you can achieve from it?
T.H.: I can achieve more happiness by winning a whole lot of grammys (laughs) and write a whole lot of good songs, 'cause you know people in Jamaica need more Reggae and Reggae that can tell a good story, 'cause Reggae is not Reggae without a good story.
SG: What are your plans for 2005?
T.H.: My plan is to release a next album, and a next album, and a next album, and a next album (laughs), 'cause I have a whole lot of songs thats can make a lot of albums. I am in the studios right now trying to pick out some and put them together and re-do what can be redone.
SG: Over the years, what would you say is your most memorable moment?
T.H.: There is more than one memorable moment, but you can take a few like when we sang Bam Bam and I won in the festival, winning all three festival songs plus a lot more great things.
