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The Jamaican artist’s death aged 81 invites reflection on a varied career during which he influenced many others and reached global audiences. Jimmy Cliff performs during the Mile High Music Festival at Dick’s Sporting Good’s Park on August 15, 2010 in Commerce City, Colorado.(Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) Getty Images A Complex Career Singer/songwriter and reggae giant Jimmy Cliff died leaving a rich creative legacy, admired not only by other reggae acts, but also rock icons including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. The 1972 movie, The Harder They Come and its accompanying soundtrack album featuring Cliff seemed likely to make him reggae’s first global superstar, but his departure from Island Records defused that breakthrough potential, leaving the door open for Bob Marley. It’s sadly ironic that one of reggae’s pioneers whose music made the later mainstream successes of acts like Marley and UB40 possible, never attained any gold or platinum certifications for his records in America. Moving to Kingston from the Jamaican countryside in 1962 at age 14, the ever-confident Cliff (born James Chambers) soon began recording for Leslie Kong’s Beverley’s Records and scored his first hit in the ska era with “Hurricane Hattie.” Significantly, Cliff also recognized the potential of other aspiring young singers and his introductions made it possible for both Desmond Dekker and Bob Marley to make their respective recording debuts in the early 1960s. Cliff was part of the Jamaican contingent for the 1964 World’s Fair held in New York, and a meeting there with Island Records’ founder Chris Blackwell encouraged him to move to England. Despite releasing his prophetically titled debut album Hard Road to Travel with the label in 1967, none of that record’s singles were successful. It was only in 1969 with “Wonderful World, Beautiful People” that Cliff scored a major British hit…

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Filed under: News - @ November 24, 2025 6:28 pm