By Our Reporter
His wife, Latifa Chambers, announced his passing in a statement posted on his Instagram page on Monday.
“It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” she wrote. She thanked family, friends, artists, colleagues, and fans, noting that their support “was his strength throughout his whole career.” She also expressed gratitude to Dr. Couceyro and the medical team for their care.
Chambers, who signed the message on behalf of herself and their children, Lilty and Aken, asked for privacy and said further details would be released later.
Born James Chambers in Saint James, Jamaica, in 1944, Cliff began his music journey in Kingston in the 1960s. Working with producer Leslie Kong, he adopted his stage name and scored his first hit, “Hurricane Hattie,” at age 14. He followed with other popular singles such as “King of Kings,” “Dearest Beverley,” “Miss Jamaica,” and “Pride and Passion.”
After signing with Island Records, he moved to the UK, where his career expanded internationally. In his 20s, he gained global recognition with hits like “Wonderful World, Beautiful People” and “Vietnam.” Bob Dylan once described “Vietnam” as “the greatest protest song ever written.”
This story is developing.