Fronted by charismatic vocalist Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, Toots and the Maytals have been on of the cornerstone bands of Jamaica's music history for 40 years. The group's song "Do the Reggay" from the '60s was where the style would eventually draw its name.

A mainstay in the '70s with their soulful originals (like the often covered gem "Pressure Drop"), the group remains one of the greatest live reggae acts of all time. Though the original band split up in 1981, Hibbert would go on to a successful solo career for the next decade before reconvening a new version of the Maytals in the '90s that has been touring and recording ever since.

The band recently won the 2005 Grammy award for best reggae album True Love, an album consisting of re-recorded versions of their classics alongside such legendary musicians as Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards, in addition to popular modern artists like No Doubt, Ben Harper, The Roots, and Shaggy.

Toots and the Maytals remain a relevant influence on today’s global music scene with artists from Amy Winehouse to Sublime re-recording classic tracks. Toots received another Grammy nomination for his 2008 release Light Your Light and in 2010 issued his latest album -- Flip & Twist -- on Toot’s own D & F Music label. He comes to the Bay Area to promote his new recent album Unplugged On Strawberry Hill and a documentary DVD Reggae Got Soul on his current acoustic tour with special guest New Orleans guitar hero Anders Osborne.

Toots and the Maytals
Sunday, Nov. 18, 8 p.m. $40
Uptown Theatre

Monday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m. $40-$50
Throckmorton Theater