Tributes paid to Jimmy Cliff after Jamaican reggae legend dies at 81

Jimmy Cliff, the singer and actor whose mellifluous voice helped to turn reggae into a global phenomenon, has died aged 81.

- Ben Beaumont-Thomas

Writing on Instagram, his wife, Latifa Chambers, said: “It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia.

“I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career.”

With hits including You Can Get It If You Really Want, I Can See Clearly Now and Wonderful World, Beautiful People, Cliff's upbeat musical temperament brought him a large and longstanding fanbase. His lead acting role in the 1972 crime drama The Harder They Come was also acclaimed, with the film seen as a cornerstone of Jamaican cinema. He is one of only a handful of musicians, alongside Bob Marley, to be awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit.

Paying tribute, Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, said: “His music lifted people through hard times, inspired generations and helped shape the global respect Jamaican culture enjoys today.”