Jimmy Cliff, the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor who preached joy, defiance, and resilience in such classics as « Many Rivers to Cross, » « You Can Get it If.
Jimmy Cliff, the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor who preached joy, defiance, and resilience in such classics as « Many Rivers to Cross », « You Can Get it If You Really Want » and « Vietnam » and starred in the landmark movie The Harder They Come, has died at 81. His family posted a message Monday on his social media sites that he died from a « seizure followed by pneumonia », per the AP. « To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career », the announcement reads in part. « He really appreciated each and every fan for their love. »
Cliff was a native Jamaican with a spirited tenor and a gift for catchphrases and topical lyrics who joined Kingston’s emerging music scene in his teens and helped lead a movement in the 1960s that included such future stars as Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert, and Peter Tosh.
