Jimmy Cliff was a titan of music, especially in Reggae circles. While other Caribbean artist may have had more celebrity clout, Cliff was one of the true mavericks and superstars of Reggae, starring in movies and responsible for a slew of global hits, many of which turned the genre into a truly global phenomenon.
He has sadly passed away, aged 81, and his wife wrote: “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.”
Even those who didn’t necessarily know his name – they will have known the songs. ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’, ‘Wonderful World, Beautiful People’ and ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ were genre defining songs by the great man.
His ‘Many Rivers To Cross’ is one of the most show-stopping records ever cut to wax, a hymnal to the trouble he found when he first moved to the UK to find fame, devastating anyone who heard the line “wandering I am lost, as I travel along the White Cliffs of Dover.”
A pioneer of black cinema, Cliff also starred in the brilliant and hard-hitting ‘The Harder They Come’, and for these many talents, it is little wonder he was awarded the prestigious Jamaican Order of Merit.
Cliff toured extensively, cementing his name through the ’70s as a big ticket artist, as well as appearing on Saturday Night Live, as well as being a two-time Grammy winner and an entrant to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.
Melding rock with reggae, soul and gospel with ska, Cliff was a true one-off and music was a lot richer for his involvement.
The Pop Corporation 
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