Wayne Jobson, longtime friend of Toots Hibbert, believes the legendary singer deserves the nomination for Best Reggae Album at next year’s Grammy Awards.
Toots, who died in September at age 77, is one of five nominees with Got To To Tough. The nominations were announced November 24 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
The Los Angeles-based Jobson said Toots, “deserves this Grammy nomination more than anyone else.”
Got To Te Tough was released on August 28, three days before the nomination window for Grammy nominations closed. Its rivals for Best Reggae Album are Higher Place (Skip Marley), Upside Down 2020 (Buju Banton), It All Comes Back to Love (Maxi Priest) and One World by The Wailers
.”Toots is one of the greatest artists of all time!! Not just Jamaican but worldwide. No one can sing, write, perform and play every instrument like he did on this album,” said Jobson.
If Got To Be Tough wins, it would be the second Grammy for Toots and his group The Maytals. They won in 2005 for True Love.
Jobson was instrumental in the conception of Got To Be Tough. He introduced Toots to Zak Starkey (son of Ringo Starr) who helped produce the album.
Born and raised in Ocho Rios, Jobson was a member of the reggae band Native with his brother Brian. His cousin, Dickie Jobson, was a film-maker and confidant of Island Records founder Chris Blackwell.
A Disc Jockey in Los Angeles for many years, Jobson and Toots were friends since the 1970’s. He co-produced Sometimes It’s Rough, a song by Toots, in the 1990’s.
The Grammy Awards take place on January 31.
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