Jimmy Cliff, one of the most influential and beloved figures in reggae music, has passed away at the age of 81. Cliff’s wife, Latifa Chambers, announced that the famous musician died of “pneumonia that developed after a seizure.”
Cliff, who played a major role in making reggae a global phenomenon since the 1960s, brought the sound of Jamaica to the world with unforgettable hits such as Wonderful World, Beautiful People and You Can Get It If You Really Want. His leading role performance in the 1972 film The Harder They Come was both a turning point for Jamaican cinema and enabled reggae to reach a wide audience in the US.
Born James Chambers in 1944, the artist began his musical journey at a young age in a church choir. Inspired by ska pioneer Derrick Morgan, he turned to writing his own songs and moved to Kingston at a young age, adopting the surname “Cliff”. At just 14 years old, he topped the Jamaican charts with Hurricane Hattie.
In 1965, Cliff moved to London and began working with Island Records. He achieved international success with Wonderful World, Beautiful People, released in 1969. Vietnam, released that same year, was described by Bob Dylan as “the best protest song ever written.”
Among the songs he prepared for the film The Harder They Come, which solidified his worldwide fame, was Many Rivers To Cross, reflecting his difficult youth.
The film’s soundtrack album made it onto Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list.Cliff, who collaborated with the Rolling Stones in the 1980s, returned to the US charts in 1993 with his cover of I Can See Clearly Now in the film Cool Runnings. He won Grammy Awards for his albums Cliff Hanger (1985) and Rebirth (2012), and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Cliff continued to connect with new generations throughout his career by performing at major festivals such as Glastonbury (2003) and Coachella (2010).
In 2003, he was awarded Jamaica’s prestigious Order of Merit. The artist often emphasized that the connection he forged with his audience meant more to him than awards. In an interview with NPR, he summarized this approach by saying, “When a fan says, ‘Thanks to your song, I went back to school and now I’m a teacher,’ that’s real success.”
