Sunday, March 3, 2024

Jimmy Cliff

“THE FIRST REGGAE MAN” youtubemedia.com

When people think of reggae, they think of Bob Marley, but no one seems to remember JIMMY CLIFF.

JIMMY CLIFF is the man who broke reggae out of Jamaica and into the world scene.

Cliff was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, on April 1, 1948. He was born to the name of James Chambers. He took the surname Cliff to express the heights he was going to reach with his music.

When he was still young, Cliff moved to the capital of Jamaica to attend technical school. While in school, he recorded his first hit "Hurricane Hattie," which became an instant Jamaican hit.

In 1964, Jimmy was selected as one of Jamaica's representatives in the World Fair.

In 1968, Jimmy brought an international song festival title with his track "Waterfall," which was a smash hit in Brazil. The next year he broke into the international market with "Wonderful World, Beautiful People," which made it to No. 6 on British charts and in the top 25 in the United States.

Bob Dylan called Cliff's song "Vietnam" the best protest song he'd ever heard.

In 1972, Jimmy starred in a movie called "The Harder They Come," which was written and produced by Perry Henzell.

The plot features main character Ivanhoe Martin going to the big city to become a big time reggae artist. He finds life in the city to be harder than he thought and is taken advantage of by a record producer and a drug dealer.

After events start escalating, he becomes Jamaica's most wanted man and a hero to all oppressed Jamaicans.

The soundtrack featured many of Jimmy Cliff's songs, the main track being called "The Harder They Come."

JIMMY CLIFF, is 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.

Years active: 1962

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