By Caribbean Life
Award winning actor and
playwright David Heron has
completed production as the
narrator of A Reggae King
Rises Again, Rolling Stone
Magazine’s new audio podcast
tribute to Jamaican reggae legend
and Grammy Award winning
musician Frederick ‘Toots’
Hibbert.
The podcast is based on an
article written by Rolling Stone
Magazine Editor Jason Fine,
and which appeared in the
September 2020 edition of the
magazine, just weeks before
Hibbert’s passing from COVID-
19 complications. It was one
of the final major articles published
about Hibbert prior to
his death.
The podcast was produced
by New York Times owned production
company Audm, which
specializes in turning long
form journalism content into
audio, and is now available on
Rolling Stone’s website.
A nearly hour long production,
which Heron describes as
“epic in the telling,” A Reggae
King Rises Again chronicles
the entire span of Hibbert’s life
and career- from his humble
beginnings in May Pen, Jamaica,
through his move to Kingston
and early success with his
band Toots and The Maytals,
his controversial incarceration
in the late 1960’s and his subsequent
Caribbean L 26 ife, FEBRUARY 12-18, 2021
rise to international
stardom, which lead to musical
collaborations with the likes of
Keith Richards, Bonnie Raitt,
Eric Clapton and Willie Nelson
among others.
For the Jamaican born
Heron, who has appeared Off
Broadway, regionally and internationally
in such acclaimed
productions as Marley The
Musical (Baltimore Centerstage),
The Emperor Jones
(Irish Repertory Theater),
Moon on A Rainbow Shawl
(New Federal Theater) as well
as his own Love and Marriage
and New York City ( Billie Holiday
Theatre) and many Shakespearean
roles, the experience
of bringing to life the story of
one of Jamaica’s greatest musical
icons was both educational
and emotional.
“It was educational because
I learnt so much about Toots
and the history of Jamaican
music that I didn’t know before,
and it was emotional because
of how clear it becomes in the
piece that he really planned to
be around for a long time. He
was anxious to put out new
music and looking forward to
touring again to keep his fans
happy and honor his commitment
to take care of his family
and friends. Again and again,
it is that love, loyalty and sense
of responsibility to those closest
to him that shines through
in the production. For me, it
makes his passing seem so
much more untimely now.”
Jason Fine’s article, the
source for the production,
took years to complete, with
his visits and interviews with
Toots dating as far back as
2016. According to Heron,
the hard work and effort pays
off handsomely because “In
Jamaican actor and playwright, David Heron. Nehassaiu
deGannes
Toots’ story as told by Jason,
a historical chronicle about
the genesis and development
of Jamaica’s music unfolds. It’s
been one of the great honors
of my career to be associated
with this project, especially
because of how I came to be
involved- as if fate and destiny
came together.”
In the aftermath of Hibbert’s
passing last year, Heron recalls
exchanging social media messages
with his friend and colleague
Andrea Bullens, CEO of
BullZii Marketing in New York,
who had posted a tribute to
Toots on her Instagram.
David Heron narrates in ‘Tribute
to Toots Hibbert’ podcast
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