Jamaican music icon Jimmy Cliff has died “due to a seizure followed by pneumonia” at the age of 81.
The news was shared earlier today in a post on his official Facebook page. Cliff’s wife Latifa Chambers wrote: “I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him.”
“To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career. He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”
Her message was also signed by their children, Lilty and Aken.
The reggae and soul legend is best known for his songs ‘Many Rivers To Cross’, ‘The Harder They Come’, ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’, and the cover of Johnny Nash’s ‘I Can See Clearly Now’, which appeared on the soundtrack to 1993’s Cool Runnings.
His most famous songs are “Many Rivers To Cross,” “The Harder They Come,” “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” and his cover of Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now,” which was on the soundtrack for the 1993 movie Cool Runnings.
This is a picture from the 41st Montreux Jazz Festival in 2007 of Jimmy Cliff performing on stage.
James Chambers was born on July 30, 1944. He was a singer and multi-instrumentalist who also acted in movies. One of his most famous roles was in the 1972 classic The Harder They Come, which helped spread reggae music around the world. People have called it “possibly the most important film from Jamaica and one of the most important films from the Caribbean.”
This is a 2015 AP photo of Jimmy Cliff and his band playing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
A lot of followers have used social media to pay tribute to the late musician. Andrew Holness, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, said that Cliff was “a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world.”
Look at some of the tributes below.
Cliff’s albums “Cliff Hanger” (1985) and “Rebirth” (2012) both earned Grammys. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Along with Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer, he was one of only 30 people to receive the Jamaican Order of Merit.
Jimmy Cliff died between 1944 and 2025.
Story culled from The Daily Mail by by
About the Author
