Reggae and soul legend Jimmy Cliff has passed away at the age of 81.
The Jamaican musician’s wife Latifa Chambers announced on his social media pages on Monday that he had died after suffering a seizure followed by pneumonia.
“I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him,” the statement reads. “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.”
“I also wanted to thank Dr. Couceyro and the whole medical staff, as they have been extremely supportive and helpful during this difficult process,” the message continues. “Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes. I hope you all can respect our privacy during these hard times.”
The statement was also signed by their children, Lilty and Aken. Cliff was also the father of singer and actress Nabiyah Be.
Cliff was best known for the hits You Can Get It If You Really Want, Many Rivers To Cross, Wonderful World, Beautiful People and his cover of Johnny Nash’s I Can See Clearly Now, which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1993 sports comedy Cool Runnings.
Cliff also starred in the 1972 Jamaican crime film, The Harder They Come, which helped popularise reggae around the world, and performed the title song.
The music legend was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
At the time of his death, he was the only living reggae musician to hold the Jamaican Order of Merit.
