KINGSTON: Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, one of the most influential figures in Jamaican music history, has died at the age of 81.
Cliff, whose global hits include Many Rivers to Cross, Wonderful World, Beautiful People, and You Can Get It If You Really Want, passed away after a seizure followed by pneumonia, according to a statement released by his wife, Latifa Chambers.
With profound sadness, I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over, she wrote on Instagram, thanking fans, family, and colleagues for supporting him throughout his life and career.
The message was also signed by their children, Lilty and Aken.
Born James Chambers in 1944 as the eighth of nine children in St. James, Jamaica, Cliff rose from poverty to international stardom.
He began singing in church at age six and wrote his first songs as a young boy, even building a bamboo guitar to accompany himself.
By 14, he had moved to Kingston, adopted the stage name Cliff, and scored his first No. 1 hit in Jamaica with Hurricane Hattie.
In 1965, he moved to London to work with Island Records. Although early attempts to market him to rock audiences faltered, Cliff broke through with 1969’s Wonderful World, Beautiful People and the acclaimed anti-war single Vietnam, which Bob Dylan described as the best protest song ever written.
Cliff cemented his legacy in 1972 with his starring role in The Harder They Come, a film credited with introducing reggae to American audiences.
He contributed several songs to the soundtrack, including the gospel tinged Many Rivers to Cross, written during a period of deep struggle in his early career.
Throughout the decades, Cliff continued to evolve. He collaborated with The Rolling Stones in the 1980s and returned to the US charts in 1993 with his hit cover of I Can See Clearly Now for the Film Cool Runnings.
His albums Cliff Hanger (1985) and Rebirth (2012) each earned Grammy Awards.
In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with Wyclef Jean describing Cliff as an inspiration for generations of Caribbean musicians.
He continued performing long into his later years, including memorable sets at Glastonbury in 2003 and Coachella in 2010.
Cliff was awarded Jamaica’s prestigious Order of Merit in 2003 for his contributions to music and national culture.
Yet, he often said the impact of his work on everyday people meant more to him than any official honor. When someone tells me my music helped change their life, he said in 2012, “that, for me, is the greatest success.
Jimmy Cliff leaves behind a towering legacy that shaped not just reggae, but global popular music.
