Early life Jimmy Cliff:
James Chambers (July 30, 1944–November 24, 2025), better known by his stage name Jimmy Cliff, was a Jamaican multi-instrumentalist, singer, actor, and performer of ska, rocksteady, reggae, and soul music. At the time of his death, he was the only remaining reggae artist to receive the Order of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences.
Jimmy Cliff, a Jamaican musician and performer who helped reggae become popular throughout the world and paved the way for following genre heroes like Bob Marley, has passed away. He was eighty-one.
Latifa Chambers, Jimmy Cliff’s wife, revealed his death on social media on Monday, saying that he “left this world due to pneumonia following a seizure.” There was no further information available right away.
“To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his entire career,” the Instagram post read. He truly appreciated the love of every admirer.
Along with several other songs including “Many Rivers to Cross” and “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” Jimmy Cliff gained notoriety for the title track of the 1972 Jamaican murder thriller “The Harder They Come.”
Jimmy Cliff was referred to as “a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world” by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness on social media. Songs written by Cliff “gave people courage during difficult times, inspired generations, and helped Jamaican culture earn the global respect it enjoys today,” he said. Cliff’s wife and two children, Lilty and Aken, outlast him.
jimmy Cliff’s portrayal of a Robin Hood-like folk hero in “The Harder They Come” resonated deeply with spectators in both the US and Jamaica, where it became a staple of the late-night cinema scene. The movie’s soundtrack, which included Cliff and other Jamaican singers including Desmond Dekker and The Maytals, became an international hit and was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2020.
In 1944, Cliff was born James Chambers in St. James Parish, Jamaica. He moved to Kingston as a young guy in order to pursue a career in music. With several local hits, such as “Hurricane Hattie,” he became well-known early on.
In the mid-1960s, he moved to London and joined with Island Records, which later signed Marley. His 1969 single, “Wonderful World, Beautiful People,” reached the tenth spot on the British pop charts. Cliff stated to The Times in 1999, “I just wanted to express this creative urge inside me.”
He also captured the anti-war feeling of the day with his song “Vietnam,” which rock singer Bob Dylan has called the greatest protest song ever recorded. After The Harder They Come, which The Clash famously referenced in their 1979 album London Calling, Cliff started a worldwide tour.
In 1976, Cliff made an appearance on the first season of Saturday Night Live. He then converted to Islam while residing in Africa.
Bruce Springsteen incorporated Cliff’s song “Trapped” to the E Street Band’s set list in the early 1980s; the 1985 We Are the World album features a live performance of the song.Cliff won his first Grammy Award in 1986 for his own album, “Cliff Hanger,” and contributed to the Rolling Stones’ album Dirty Work.
His performance of Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now,” which was recorded for the film Cool Runnings, brought him back to the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1994. In 2010, Cliff was admitted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
He won his second Grammy in 2013 for his album “Rebirth,” which he co-wrote with Tim Armstrong of the punk group Rancid and which he claimed was slightly influenced by the Occupy Wall Street movement.
In 2012, Cliff told The Times, “I sang a song called ‘Vietnam’ about that era, that war, the people marching.” Even now, people continue to march, albeit for various reasons. I believe I ought to continue singing about those topics.