Toots & The Maytals | Artist

Toots and the Maytals, originally called The Maytals, are a Jamaican vocal group formed 1962 in Clarendon, Jamaica, by Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, Henry "Raleigh" Gordon and Nathaniel "Jerry" Mathias. They have become one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. Early on The Maytals worked with leading Jamaican producers, Clement Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, Prince Buster, Byron Lee and Leslie Kong, releasing a string of hit singles throughout the '60s and '70s. "Do the Reggay", released in 1968, was the first song to first use the word "reggae" and gave the genre its name. In 1970 "Monkey Man" became the group's first international hit. By 1971, they signed with Chris Blackwell's Island Records, becoming the biggest act in Jamaica and international stars. It's worth noting that although Toots was the main voice and front-man for the band, the vocal harmony work of Raleigh and Jerry helped make the Maytals' sound so distinctive. To-date the band has released 19 studio albums and countless singles. Albums to single out include Sweet and Dandy ('69), Monkey Man ('70) and their masterpiece Funky Kingston from 1973. Other stand-outs include From the Roots, In The Dark, Reggae Got Soul, Pass The Pipe and Toots & The Maytals Live.

Artist Website: tootsandthemaytals.net

Featured Albums: Toots & The Maytals

Related Artists: Toots Hibbert, The Maytals