Jimmy Cliff, one of the most prominent and beloved proponents of reggae music, has died at the age of 81.
Cliff’s wife, Latifa Chambers, announced his death via a statement 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,” she wrote.
“I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him.
Her message was also signed by their children, Lilty and Aken.
Born James Chambers in 1944, Cliff grew up as the eighth of nine children in abject poverty in the parish of St. James, Jamaica.
Blessed with a sweet, mellifluous voice, he began singing at his local church at the age of six.
He was inspired to write his own material when he heard ska pioneer Derrick Morgan on the radio – and asked his woodwork teacher how one might go about composing their own song.
By the time he was 14, he’d moved to Kingston and adopted the surname Cliff to express the heights he intended on reaching.
He recorded a handful of singles before topping the Jamaican charts with his own composition, Hurricane Hattie.
In 1965, he relocated to London to work with Island Records – later the home of Bob Marley – but the label’s attempts to make his sound palatable to rock audiences were initially unsuccessful.
A star since the 1960s, he helped to bring the sound of Jamaica to a global audience through hits such as Wonderful World, Beautiful People and You Can Get It If You Really Want.
He eventually struck gold with the 1969 single Wonderful World, Beautiful People – an upbeat, feel good anthem; and the more politically-charged Vietnam, which Bob Dylan called “the best protest song ever written”.
Cliff continued to tour late into his life, playing Glastonbury’s legends slot in 2003; and winning over a new generation of fans at the 2010 Coachella Festival.
His contributions to Jamaican music and culture were recognized in October 2003 when he was awarded the country’s prestigious Order of Merit.
BBC/Victoria Ibanga