Reggae Pioneer Jimmy Cliff Dies Aged 81

Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff has died, aged 81. Cliff was one of the world’s greatest pioneering musicians and actors, instrumental in popularizing ska, rocksteady, and reggae music globally.

His wife Latifa Chambers announced his passing in a social media post stating:

"It's with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia. 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. Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes."

Jimmy Cliff was born James Chambers on July 30, 1944, in Somerton, Jamaica, adopting the stage name Jimmy Cliff upon moving to Kingston in his teens. His career began in the early 1960s after he successfully convinced producer Leslie Kong, the founder of Beverley's Records, to work with him. Under Kong's guidance, Cliff released his first major hit, Hurricane Hattie in 1962, followed by other local successes like King of Kings and Miss Jamaica establishing him as an accomplished performer early in Jamaica's nascent music scene.

His career gained international momentum after he signed with Island Records and moved to the United Kingdom in 1965. Despite initially finding life in London difficult and experiencing racism, his music began to connect with a wider audience. He won the Brazilian International Song Festival in 1967 with Waterfall highlighting his early appeal in South America. His breakthrough UK hit came in 1969 with the uplifting and socially conscious single Wonderful World, Beautiful People which reached the Top 10. This was followed by his powerful protest song Vietnam a track so highly regarded that Bob Dylan reportedly called it the best protest song he had ever heard.

The pivotal moment that cemented Cliff’s legacy as a global cultural icon was his starring role in the 1972 crime drama, The Harder They Come, directed by Perry Henzell. Cliff played Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin, an aspiring singer who confronts the harsh realities of the exploitative Jamaican music industry. The film itself became a cornerstone of Jamaican cinema and, along with its soundtrack, which featured Cliff’s classics like Many Rivers to Cross (later a hit for Toni Childs), Sitting in Limbo, and the title track, was crucial in introducing reggae music to a mass international audience, particularly in the United States upon its wider release in 1975.

Throughout the 1970s and beyond, Cliff continued to tour and release innovative albums, refusing to be confined to traditional reggae sounds. After a period in the mid-to-late 1970s where he travelled to Africa and converted to Islam (adopting the name Na'im Bashir), he returned to music with renewed focus. His longevity and versatility were demonstrated through collaborations with artists ranging from Kool & the Gang and the Rolling Stones to Wyclef Jean and Sting. His 1985 album, Cliff Hanger, earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, and his song Trapped gained wider exposure when Bruce Springsteen covered it live.

In the 1990s, Cliff achieved renewed global fame with his cover of Johnny Nash’s I Can See Clearly Now, which was prominently featured on the soundtrack for the 1993 film Cool Runnings. The track returned him to the mainstream pop charts including here in Australia where it reached a career high of #17 in the ARIA Chart.

His career was marked by numerous honours, including being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 and receiving the Order of Merit (OM), Jamaica's highest honour for achievements in arts and sciences.

Jimmy Cliff's career spanned over six decades and yielded more than 30 studio albums, including his second Grammy-winning album, Rebirth (2012), and his final album, Refugees (2022). Cliff's enduring legacy is that of a cultural bridge, a soulful voice of defiance and hope who played an unparalleled role in bringing the vibrant music and stories of Jamaica to the world stage.