Jimmy Cliff, a legend of reggae music, has passed away, aged 81. At Billboard.com, Gil Kaufman writes:
Beloved reggae singer and Jamaican musical icon Jimmy Cliff has died at 81. The “Many Rivers to Cross” singer’s wife, Latifah Chambers, announced the news in an Instagram post on Monday morning (Nov. 24) that read, “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. He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”
Cliff, known for his high, clear vocals and lifelong focus on positvity, peace and unity, was known for such indelible reggae hits as “Many Rivers to Cross,” You Can Get It If You Really Want” and the title track to his beloved 1972 musical crime film The Harder They Come, in which he starred as lead character Ivanhoe “Ivan” Martin in a role that is credited with helping to bring the sound of reggae to the world.
One of the last living global ambassadors from the generation of reggae greats who brought the island’s music to the world — alongside late contemporaries Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Toots Hibbert and Bunny Wailer — before his death Cliff was the only living reggae artist to have earned Jamaica’s Order of Merit, the highest honor the nation’s government gives for achievements in the arts and sciences.
Born James Chambers on April 1, 1948 in the St. James parish of Jamaica near Montego Bay, Cliff’s talent was spotted early on at the Somerton All Age School in the 1950. The eighth of nine children, Cliff’s signature vocal tone, a high and mellifluous croon, immediately set him apart when he moved to Kingston at 14, adopted his more famous stage name and began cutting songs with an American R&B influence before making the connection that would change his life.
Cliff managed to convince Leslie Kong — who owned a combo restaurant/ice cream parlor/cosmetics shop in Kingston called Beverley’s — to get into the music business. The label they formed, Beverley’s Records, released Cliff’s ska-tinged debut single, “Hurricane Hattie,” which ran to the top of the Jamaican charts and was followed by a string of hits sung and written by the artist including “Miss Jamaica,” “One-Eyed Jacks” and “King of Kings.”
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Watch Cliff perform below:
