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Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff

Born: 1944-07-30 • Somerton district of St. James, Jamaica

The Honourable Jimmy Cliff, OM (30 July 1944 – 24 November 2025), known professionally as Jimmy Cliff, was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and actor. At the time of his death, he was the only living reggae musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences. He is best known among mainstream audiences for songs such as "Sitting in Limbo," "You Can Get It If You Really Want," and "Many Rivers to Cross" from the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, which helped popularize reggae across the world; and his covers of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" and Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" from the film Cool Runnings. Outside of the reggae world, he is probably best known for his film appearance in The Harder They Come. Jimmy Cliff was one of five performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

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Filmography
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell poster
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
2021 • Self (archive footage)
Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes poster
Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes
2019 • Self
ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff poster
ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff
2018 • Himself
Dear Jerry - Celebrating The Music of Jerry Garcia poster
Dear Jerry - Celebrating The Music of Jerry Garcia
2016 • Self
Lennon or McCartney poster
Lennon or McCartney
2014 • Self
Muscle Shoals poster
Muscle Shoals
2013 • Self
Marley poster
Marley
2012 • Self
Toots and the Maytals Reggae Got Soul poster
Toots and the Maytals Reggae Got Soul
2011 • Himself
Titãs - A Vida Até Parece Uma Festa poster
Titãs - A Vida Até Parece Uma Festa
2009 • Self (archive footage)
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar poster
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
2009 • Self (archive footage)
Formel Eins - Die Kultvideos Vol. 2 poster
Formel Eins - Die Kultvideos Vol. 2
2008 • Self (archive footage)
Jimmy Cliff - Moving On poster
Jimmy Cliff - Moving On
2006 • Singer
No Image
Rude Boy: The Jamaican Don
2003 • Wise Man
One Love: The Bob Marley All-Star tribute poster
One Love: The Bob Marley All-Star tribute
1999 • Self - Perfomer
Acústico MTV poster
Acústico MTV
1997 • Self
Marked for Death poster
Marked for Death
1990 • Himself
A Reggae Session poster
A Reggae Session
1988 • Self
Club Paradise poster
Club Paradise
1986 • Ernest Reed
Jimmy Cliff - Rockpalast 84 poster
Jimmy Cliff - Rockpalast 84
1984
Bongo Man poster
Bongo Man
1982 • Self
Roots Rock Reggae: Inside The Jamaican Music Scene poster
Roots Rock Reggae: Inside The Jamaican Music Scene
1977 • Self
The Harder They Come poster
The Harder They Come
1972 • Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin
This Is Ska poster
This Is Ska
1964 • Himself