‘More needs to be done to keep Toots’ legacy alive’
Former manager remembers singer five years after his death
Published:Thursday | September 11, 2025 | 9:51 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Today marks five years since the passing of legendary ska and reggae singer, Frederick Nathaniel ‘Toots’ Hibbert, the lead singer of Toots and the Maytals. Toots passed away at the University Hospital of the West Indies in 2020. He was 77.
Cabel ‘Jeffrey’ Stephenson, Toots’ manager up to the time of his death, feels that not enough is being done to keep alive and celebrate the life and times of Hibbert, the singer who made music his mission for more than six decades as he travelled the world as an ambassador for Brand Jamaica.
“His estate is lagging behind ... it needs to do a lot more to keep an artiste of this calibre relevant,” Stephenson told The Gleaner. “The vastness of Toots’ catalogue and the great value of his work speak for themselves. Toots and the Maytals is in the same league of Bob Marley and the Wailers, but we are not feeling his presence. Songs like Bam Bam, Funky Kingston, and Pressure Drop are classics that resound in people’s hearts across the world. When we were in studio, Toots had one mission ... to make good music for the fans and make music that lives on.”
The reggae and ska pioneer, who is credited with coining the word “reggae” with his 1968 song, Do the Reggay, was a ball of energy on stage, defying his 77 years. Toots and the Maytals won the Grammy in the Best Reggae Album category in 2021 for their album Got to Be Tough, which was released mere days after Toots’ death. It was the band’s sixth Grammy nomination and second Grammy Award. The first was for the 2005 album, True Love.
“Toots was my general, he opened many doors for me and gave me the key to others,” reminsced Stephenson, who is the managing director of Free People Entertainment.
“He gave us the blueprint for a successful reggae artiste. He had great respect for his band and he taught me loyalty and commitment to duty. I have never booked a show for Toots that he did not honour. He was always at the venue one hour before showtime ... getting acclimatised ... having a one spliff if necessary or a drink of cognac ... and always well dressed, because image was important to him. Man shoes haffi shine, man haffi sharper than razor. We always mek joke and seh ‘Yes Pardie, yuh look like yuh just born.’ And, when he went on stage, he crushed it. He would stay behind to sign autographs and take pictures with fans ... always in a jovial mood around them,” Stephenson added.
TOUR
If ever there was a set of touring artistes, it was Toots and the Maytals. Actively touring the world until his untimely passing, Toots was on the road most of the year, Stephenson pointed out, adding that “promoters loved to book Toots and the Maytals”.
The group had registered with Pollstar, a recognised trade publication which “supplies information to professional concert promoters, booking agents, artiste managers, facility executives and other entities involved in the live entertainment business”.
“Toots had a robust career. Promoters were happy to have Toots on their stage and he was equally happy to be on every stage that he ever performed on. Every year, he did all the festivals across Europe and did not have retirement in sight. Toots always remembered his roots in Clarendon and remained humble, no matter how many accolades he received. His passing was devastating and it has left a void in reggae music. There’s just one Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, and his estate needs to do more to keep his legacy alive,” Stephenson declared.
One of Toots’ daughter formed a tribute group, Toots and The Maytals Featuring Leba Hibbert. The group performs 90 per cent songs from Toots’ extensive catalogue.
Toots Hibbert was born on December 8, 1942 in May Pen. His parents were both strict Seventh-day Adventist preachers and he grew up singing gospel music in the church choir. Both parents died young and, by the age of 11, Hibbert was an orphan and went to live with his brother in Trench Town, where his music career started.
In 2010, Toots ranked No. 71 in Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”. In August 2012, it was announced that he would receive the Order of Jamaica, the country’s fifth-highest honour.