Toots and the Maytals singer Toots Hibbert passes away at 77

Toots and the Maytals singer Toots Hibbert has died aged 77, the band have revealed.

Earlier this month, Hibbert was hospitalised after testing positive for the coronavirus.

"It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that Frederick Nathaniel 'Toots' Hibbert passed away peacefully tonight, surrounded by his family at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica," the band's Twitter account announced. "The family and management would like to thank the medical teams and professionals for their care and diligence, and ask that you respect their privacy during their time of grief."

Hibbert is survived by his wife of 39 years, and his seven of eight children.

The artiste grew up singing in church, and formed the Maytals in the 1960s. He was a contemporary of his Island Records labelmate Bob Marley, and went on to appear on stage with the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Just a week before Toots' hospitalisation, Toots and The Maytals released their first album of original material in a decade in the form of 'Got To Be Tough'.