Washington (AFP)

Jamaican singer Toots Hibbert, a historical reggae figure, died on Friday at the age of 77 in a Kingston hospital where he had been admitted with respiratory symptoms.

"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Frederick Nathaniel" Toots "Hibbert this evening, surrounded by his family, at the West Indies University Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica," his group Toots and the Maytals announced on social networks.

The cause of death was not specified but his entourage had let it be known at the end of August, on the group's Facebook account, that Toots Hibbert had been admitted to the hospital where he "was awaiting the results of a Covid-19 test. ".

He was then plunged into an artificial coma, following "respiratory complications".

Although he is less known than his compatriot Bob Marley, it is Toots Hibbert that we attribute the origin of reggae with a song released in 1968, "Do the Reggay".

The musical genre inseparable from Rastafarianism, a spiritual movement which sanctifies the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie and promotes the use of ganja, or marijuana, has enjoyed great worldwide success thanks to classics by Bob Marley (1945-1981) and his group the Wailers.

Bob Marley's son Ziggy immediately paid tribute to Toots Hibbert, who had become a second father to him.

“I spoke to him a few weeks ago and told him how much I love him,” he tweeted.

"His spirit is with us, his music fills us with energy and I will never forget him".

Mick Jagger also paid tribute to the Jamaican singer.

"Very sad to hear of Toots Hibbert's passing," the Rolling Stones star tweeted.

"He had such a powerful voice, and on stage he always gave all his energy. A great loss for the music world."

In a portrait of the Jamaican singer published last year in the magazine Rolling Stone, the guitarist of the legendary rock group Keith Richards marveled at Toots Hibbert's voice.

"As a singer, he is incredible," he said.

"His voice reminds me a lot of Otis Redding's."

Born in May Pen, Jamaica, in 1945, Toots Hibbert was the last of a family of seven children.

He had grown up singing gospel music in a Baptist church choir.

A true man-orchestra, he could play all the instruments used in his group.

He had just released an album, "Got To Be Tough", which marked the expected return of his band Toots & The Maytals, and he was still giving concerts in January 2020.

© 2020 AFP