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Podcast: Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix
Episode: The Maytals: Choirboy Soul, Kingston Grit, and the Birth of Reggae
Description: Frederick “Toots” Hibbert grew up singing gospel in rural Jamaica before moving to Kingston. Alongside Henry “Raleigh” Gordon and Nathaniel “Jerry” Matthias, he formed The Maytals in 1962. Their stacked harmonies and call-and-response vocals carried a gospel intensity that set them apart.
Church-honed harmonies: Toots grew up singing gospel; the trio formed in Kingston (1962). Their stacked, call-and-response vocals came straight from church to the dancehall.
Name & lineup: The “Maytals” began as a vocal trio; by the 1970s, the touring/recording band—Beverley’s All-Stars (Jackie Jackson, Paul Douglas, Hux Brown, Rad Bryan, Winston Wright, etc.)—became the powerhouse behind...