Reggae Icon Jimmy Cliff Dead At 81

Jimmy Cliff, one of the greatest reggae singers of all time, has passed away. Cliff’s career began when reggae was new, and his sweet, tender voice worked in conversation with what American soul singers like Al Green were doing at the same time. Cliff was the star of The Harder They Come, a low-budget Jamaican crime film that became a cultural touchpoint. He was also the main artist on its soundtrack album, and every song he sings on that album is a towering classic. As The New York Times reports, Cliff’s wife Latifa Chambers made the announcement on Cliff’s Instagram page this morning: “It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia.” Cliff was 81. This is a developing story.