Toots Hibbert, Henry Raleigh  Gordon and Nathaniel Jerry  Mathias founded The Maytals in 1962. The Jamaican musicians became one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups and helped popularizing reggae music during the Sixties. Their 1968 single Do The Reggay  was the first song to use the word Reggae , resulting in the Oxford English Dictionary crediting Toots and The Maytals in the etymology of the word Reggae .

Following their signing to Island Records in 1973 they recorded and released their fourth album From the Roots. The album was recorded with Leslie Kong and features some of The Maytals' most explosive tunes, while their predilection for gospel is still audible.

From The Roots is available on black vinyl.