Entertainment

Toots Hibbert Estate Reaches Settlement on Maytals Name

Frederick Nathaniel 'Toots' Hibbert
Frederick Nathaniel ‘Toots’ Hibbert

by Howard Campbell

[KINGSTON, Jamaica] –  The Estate of Toots Hibbert has reached an out-of-court settlement with his former band over use of the Maytals name.

A statement from the family confirmed that the agreement was made on December 8. On this day Toots would have celebrated his 79th birthday. He died in September last year from complications of COVID-19.

“We are happy that we were able to reach an amicable agreement with the members of my father’s former backing band over the use of the Maytals name. The Maytals name belonged to my father and since he’s no longer here physically it now belongs to his estate,” said his daughter Leba Hibbert.

A cease and desist letter was sent to the musicians on July 15 by California law firm Isaacman, Kaufman, Painter, Lowy and Zucker which represents the Toots Hibbert Estate.

Under this settlement, the Toots Hibbert Estate retains full ownership of the Maytals name and trademark.

New Band Name

In their statement, the musicians acknowledged terms of the settlement, and a name change.

“Let it be known that going forward the musicians who have provided the groove and pulse behind Toots Hibbert will now be known as ‘O’bessa’ (more to follow on the origins of the name). The proof will be in the eating of the pudding, not in what is called. As ‘O’bessa’ we will be bringing the best of Toots and The Maytals experience and unveiling talent in the band that has been hitherfore hidden. We are pulling out all the stops,” it read in part.

The musicians are bassist Jackie Jackson, guitarists Radcliffe Bryan and Carl Harvey, keyboardist Charles Faquharson and drummer Paul Douglas.

Jackson, Bryan and Douglas recorded and toured with Toots for 50 years.

Toots Hibbert is one of reggae’s pioneers. Along with Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, he helped put Jamaican pop culture on the international map. Especially with songs like Bam Bam, Monkey Man, Funky Kingston, Pressure Drop and Do The Reggae.

He and The Maytals won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album this year with Got to be Tough.

South Florida Caribbean News

The SFLCN.com Team provides news and information for the Caribbean-American community in South Florida and beyond.

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