Kingston, Jamaica – Reggae star Jimmy Cliff has died at the age of 81 as a result of pneumonia, his family announced.
“It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” the musician’s wife, Latifa, wrote via Instagram on Monday.
“Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace,” she added.
Cliff was one of the pioneers of reggae music and is considered a trailblazer for icons like Bob Marley.
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He had his first hit, Hurricane Hattie, in the early 1960s – when the term reggae music did not even exist yet.
This was later followed by world-famous songs such as Wonderful World, Beautiful People and You Can Get It If You Really Want, as well as a famed cover version of I Can See Clearly Now.
Cliff “helped to bring the sound of Jamaica to a global audience”, according to the BBC.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness wrote on X that the country is “pausing” to remember Cliff, whom he described as a “true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world.”
His music built people up in difficult times and inspired generations.
Born James Chambers in 1944, the singer won two Grammys during his career and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
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Despite his success, he never forgot where he came from.
“”Reggae is the cry and the joy of poor people,” Cliff once said on the CBS radio show Q with Tom Power.
His wife wrote that Cliff’s fans were “his strength throughout his whole career,” adding, “He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”
