Grammy-winning reggae icon Jimmy Cliff has died. He was 81.
The entertainer, praised for his pioneering work in the reggae space throughout the ‘60s, died after having a seizure amid a battle with pneumonia. His wife, Latifa Chambers, announced the news Monday via Instagram.
It is unclear exactly when Cliff died.
“It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” the post read. “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. He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”
Chambers also extended thanks to a medical staff that aided Cliff before his passing and asked fans to respect the family’s privacy as further details would be announced at a later date.
Cliff, whose real name was James Chambers, was born in Kingston, Jamaica and jumped into the burgeoning reggae music scene as a teenager.
The musician helped propel reggae’s international success alongside fellow Jamaican music legends like Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh.
He rose to fame in the ‘60s and ‘70s with hit songs like “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” “I Can See Clearly Now,” “Wonderful World, Beautiful People” and “Vietnam.” His 1972 track “Trapped” has been intermittently covered by Bruce Springsteen over the decades and was worked into many sets during his most recent tour.
His role in the reggae musical film, “The Harder They Come” (1972), drew worldwide praise and furthered popularized reggae across the world.
Cliff won two Grammy Awards for best reggae album (1986 and 2013) and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
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