Jimmy Cliff, reggae & ska pioneer, dies at 81

Photo by PL Gould/Images/Getty Images

Reggae, rocksteady, and ska legend Jimmy Cliff has died at age 81 after a seizure followed by pneumonia. His wife Latifa Chambers shared the sad news on Instagram:

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. I also wanted to thank Dr. Couceyro and the whole medical staff, as they have been extremely supportive and helpful during this difficult process. Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes. I hope you all can respect our privacy during these hard times. Further information will be provided at a later date.
See you and we see you Legend.

Latifa, Lilty and Aken

Jimmy Cliff (born James Chambers) was one of the original Jamaican ska musicians, and he helped bring more global attention to the genre after being chosen as one of Jamaica’s representatives for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York and appearing in the This Is Ska! documentary that same year. As he helped evolve the ska genre into rocksteady and reggae, he released an international breakthrough for reggae with his 1969 self-titled LP–later retitled Wonderful World, Beautiful People–which was home to classics like “Vietnam,” “Many Rivers to Cross,” and its eventual title track. But his biggest crossover success–and one of the biggest crossover successes for reggae in general–was the 1972 film The Harder They Come, which he starred in, and its soundtrack. Cliff’s title track is one of the most influential and beloved reggae songs of all time, and the soundtrack also helped bring more attention to fellow reggae/ska/rocksteady pioneers like Desmond Dekker and Toots & the Maytals. Cliff’s own “You Can Get It If You Really Want” was prominently featured as well.

Rest in peace, Jimmy Cliff. You truly changed the world.

Top photo: Jimmy Cliff at Riviera ‘76 Jazz Festival in Le Castellet, France by PL Gould/Images/Getty Images