14 September 2020
Newsdesk
Rolling Stones stars Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, and Keith Richards have paid tribute to the late Toots Hibbert, following his death aged 77.
The reggae icon's passing last week was confirmed by his family in a statement on the band's social media pages, reading: “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 Toots and the Maytals singer was admitted to the private hospital in late August after complaining of breathing difficulties. A cause of death has yet to be confirmed, though he had been recently tested for Covid-19.
In a tribute to the hitmaker, Jagger called the death of the star “a great loss to the whole music world," writing on social media: “So sad to hear of Toots Hibbert’s passing. When I first heard ‘Pressure Drop‘ that was a big moment."
In a statement to Rolling Stone, he further reflected: “(Hibbert) was a great singer with a really powerful voice who influenced everyone in the early days of reggae. He was a great stage performer."
The rockers famously tapped Toots and the Maytals to open for them on their Bigger Bang Tour, with guitarist Ronnie Wood writing: “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.”
Meanwhile, Keith Richards, who recorded the duet Careless Ethiopians with Hibbert in 2004, similarly praised Toots, reflecting: “Toots was a giant... I loved working with him. I loved hanging with him. I will always miss him. My deepest condolences to the Hibbert family.”
