Toots Hibbert’s Estate Reaches Settlement With The Maytals Over Use Of Band Name

The estate of the legendary Reggae singer Frederick “Toots” Hibbert has reached an out-of-court settlement with the members of his former backing band over the use of the Maytals name.

A cease and desist letter had been sent to the musicians on July 15 from the California-based law firm Isaacman, Kaufman, Painter, Lowy and Zucker which represents the Toots Hibbert estate.

According to a release, and after several rounds of negotiations, the matter was resolved on the 8th of December, which incidentally is the same day that Toots would have celebrated his 79th birthday if he was alive.

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

“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,” his daughter Leba Hibbert said in a release.

Miss Hibbert also said now that a settlement has been reached between both parties her family is moving forward with plans to keep her father’s legacy alive.

“We plan to do all that we can to honor my father’s name and to keep his legacy alive. We don’t want to say too much right now but we’ll make an official announcement very soon,” she said.

Toots Hibbert began touring in the 1970s. His landmark album Funky Kingston is rated one as of the greatest albums of all time.

Toots & the Maytals has won the Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album twice. He won it in 2005 with an album titled True Love and in 2021 with Go To Be Tough.

The legendary Reggae icon passed away at the age of 77 on the 11th of September last year at the University of The West Indies Hospital, in Kingston.

On Wednesday, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, hosted a floral tribute at his resting place at the National Heroes Park in Kingston.

The tribute was laid by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange, who gave remarks in remembrance of the late reggae icon.