‘An incredible person’: Island Records founder Chris Blackwell remembers Toots
Days after Toots
Hibbert’s death, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell is one of many persons
to pay tribute to the reggae legend.
Blackwell said
that he met Toots in 1961 and signed him to his record label about a decade
later, producing his iconic Funky Kingston album in 1972.
He is now
trying to come to terms with the death of the entertainer, who passed away on
September 11 at 77 years old.
“It’s
incredibly sad that he’s gone,” said Blackwell told Billboard in a recent
interview. “His spirit — he was laughing always, an incredible person. He
was just a joy of a human being, a really special person.”
Blackwell,
who has worked with the likes of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear and
Black Uhuru, said that he was amazed by Toots’ voice and musical abilities.
“I met
Toots very early and was totally blown away by his voice and his energy. He was
just somebody, you just loved him,” Blackwell said.
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As a pioneer
in reggae music with songs like 54-46 That’s My Number, Pressure Drop
and Sailing On, Blackwell said that Toots, who was the leader of Toots
and the Maytals, will be remembered for years to come.
“I
think his music, what he has done in his life, will become recognised and
collected in the same kind of way that Bob’s music has over the years, where
people who like Bob Marley like almost every record he’s ever made, that kind
of thing,” Blackwell said.