Leba Hibbert takes ‘Reggae Got Soul’ on Tour
The post Leba Hibbert takes ‘Reggae Got Soul’ on Tour appeared first on Reggae Vibes.
Black News 
Leba Hibbert takes ‘Reggae Got Soul’ on Tour
Fifty years ago, Toots And The Maytals released ‘Reggae Got Soul’, a landmark album that helped solidify the music’s global rise. It was hailed by critics and made Toots Hibbert an even bigger star.
In May, his daughter re-introduces that album to audiences in the United Kingdom where her father — who died in September, 2020 — retains a loyal following. Toots And The Maytals featuring Leba Hibbert’s ‘Reggae Got Soul: 50th Anniversary Tour’ is scheduled to start on May 7 at Y Plas in Cardiff, Wales.
It is the third overseas tour for Leba since she assumed reins of The Maytals brand in 2024, and her second in the UK. It is a deeply personal assignment.
“Daddy will always be the one and only Toots. He’s irreplaceable, but his blood runs through my veins; when you see me, you see my father,” she stated.
The three-week tour is scheduled to close on May 30 at Ashton Hall in Lancaster. It will also make stops in Bristol, London, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester.
‘Reggae Got Soul’ was distributed by Island Records in a remarkable year for reggae and that independent label. Island also released ‘Rastaman Vibration’ by Bob Marley and The Wailers, its flagship act; ‘Blackheart Man’ by Bunny Wailer and ‘Man in The Hills’ by Burning Spear.
The album contains reggae versions of ‘Never You Change’ and ‘Six And Seven Books’, which Toots And The Maytals first recorded during the 1960s. There is also ‘Living In The Ghetto’ and ‘I Shall Sing’. The latter was originally done in 1973 by Irish firebrand Van Morrison, one of Toots’ admirers.
‘Reggae Got Soul’ built on the foundation set by songs like ‘Bam Bam’, ‘Funky Kingston’, ‘Pressure Drop’, ‘Monkey Man’ and ‘54-46’ that earned Toots And The Maytals — which also comprised Jerry Matthias and Raleigh Gordon — a diehard following in Europe and North America.
According to Leba, “’Reggae Got Soul’ is a fusion of gospel, soul and reggae. It’s foundational, it’s history, it’s his story. After 50 years, these songs are still relevant and still sung by his fans. It’s cause for celebration and we have to celebrate it.”
She toured with her father for many years as a member of 54-46, his harmony trio. She also made her name as a solo artiste, releasing an album (‘Intoxicated’), an EP (‘Into The Light’) as well as numerous singles.
The post Leba Hibbert takes ‘Reggae Got Soul’ on Tour appeared first on Reggae Vibes.
