Singer, film star and composer James Chambers (Jimmy Cliff) was born in St.James, Jamaica, on 30 July 1944, the second youngest of nine children. He began writing songs while still at Primary School and was fond of listening to a neighbour's sound system. His father took him to Kingston at age 14 and he chose the performing name Jimmy Cliff. He pestered local recording studios to give him a break and finally persuaded Leslie Kong to record him. His first records were not successful but his song "Hurricane Hattie", recorded by Kong, was his first hit single, aged 17. He continued to work with Leslie Kong until Mr Kong died from a heart attack in 1971. In 1972 Cliff starred in the film "The Harder They Come", which was Jamaica's first major commercial film. He continued to receive international success, touring widely, recording with Kool and The Gang and others, even singing background vocals on sessions with The Rolling Stones. In 2007 he performed at the opening of the Cricket World Cup. In 2009 he was inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.
Considered one of Jamaica's foremost and most influential musicians, Mr Cliff was awarded the Order of Merit by the Government of Jamaica, and died in hospital in Kingston, Jamaica from pneumonia and a seizure, on 24 November 2025, age 81.
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