Rest in Peace, ‘Toots’ Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals, Reggae Legend: 1942-2020

Late Friday evening, the family of Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, Jamaican reggae legend and lead vocalist of the long-running reggae/ska group Toots and the Maytals, passed away Friday night at the age of 77.

As Hibbert’s family shared in a message posted to social media:

It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that Frederick Nathaniel “Toots” Hibbert passed away peacefully tonight, surrounded by his family at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. The family and his management team would like to thank the medical teams and professionals for their care and diligence, and ask that you respect their privacy during their time of grief. Mr. Hibbert is survived by his wife of 39 years, Miss D, and his seven of eight children.”

It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that Frederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert passed away peacefully tonight, surrounded by his family at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica… pic.twitter.com/zOb6yRpJ7n

— Toots & The Maytals (@tootsmaytals) September 12, 2020

An official cause of death was not mentioned in the news of his passing, though Hibbert was reportedly hospitalized last month after he exhibited symptoms consistent with the coronavirus.

Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert is a legend as far as the history of reggae and its surrounding culture is concerned — Hibbert’s 1968 song “Do the Reggay” is credited as being the first popular song to use the word “reggae,” and is generally considered a major moment in the definition of the genre.

News of Hibbert’s death inspired an outpouring of love from the music community. Ziggy Marley sent out a statement, noting that he last spoke with Hibbert a few weeks ago in a message of mutual love and admiration:

The Legendary Toots Hibbert has passed i spoke w/him a few wks ago told him how much i loved him we laughed & shared our mutual respect. He was a father figure to me his spirit is w/us his music fills us w/his energy i will never forget him RIP MIGHTY & POWERFUL NYAH FYAH BALL 😢 pic.twitter.com/zIofrbYZU0

— Ziggy Marley (@ziggymarley) September 12, 2020

Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones cited the song “Pressure Drop” as a personal favorite of his in a statement:

So sad to hear of Toots Hibbert’s passing. When I first heard Pressure Drop that was a big moment – he had such a powerful voice and on stage he always gave the audience his total energy. A sad loss to the music world. pic.twitter.com/CAs9VF4X41

— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) September 12, 2020

Jagger added more in a statement to Rolling Stone:

“He was a great singer with a really powerful voice who influenced everyone in the early days of reggae. He was a great stage performer. So full of energy and vitality always giving a top class performance that I was lucky enough to witness.”

Ronnie Wood also shared his condolences.

I’d like to send my condolences to the Hibbert family for my dear friend Toots Hibbert who passed away on Friday. I have very happy memories of playing with him, a lovely man and a great talent. Here we are talking about his song ‘Pressure Drop’: https://t.co/uBph4Skerj

— Ronnie Wood (@ronniewood) September 12, 2020

There’s an argument that reggae as it is known today wouldn’t have existed were it not for the musical contributions of Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert. May he rest in peace, and deepest condolences to his family, friends and fans.