Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81 | Jimmy Cliff

Singer and actor Jimmy Cliff, whose sweet voice helped turn reggae into a global phenomenon, has died at the age of 81.

His wife Latifa Chambers’ message on Instagram reads: “It is with deep sadness that I share that my husband Jimmy Cliff has moved to this country due to a bout with pneumonia. I am grateful to his family, friends, fellow artists and colleagues who shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support has been his strength throughout his entire career… Jimmy, my darling, rest in peace. I will fulfill your wishes.” His message was also signed by his children Lilty and Aken.

With hits like If You Really Want It, You Can Get It, Now I Can See Clearly and It’s a Wonderful World, Beautiful People, Cliff’s cheerful musical disposition has earned him a large and long-standing fan base. His starring role in the 1972 crime drama The Harder They Come also received critical acclaim, with the film considered a cornerstone of Jamaican cinema.

He is one of a handful of musicians, along with Bob Marley and others, to be awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit.

More to follow…