Jimmy Cliff
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Jimmy Cliff OM |
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Cliff performing in 2012
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Chambers |
| Born |
1 April 1948 Somerton District, St. James, Jamaica |
| Genres | Ska, reggae |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, actor |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano, conga, keyboards |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Labels | Island, Columbia, Trojan, EMI, CBS |
| Website | jimmycliff |
Jimmy Cliff, OM (born James Chambers; 1 April 1948) is a Jamaican ska and reggae musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and actor. He is the only living 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.
Cliff is best known among mainstream audiences for songs such as "Wonderful World, Beautiful People", "Many Rivers to Cross", "You Can Get It If You Really Want", "The Harder They Come", "Reggae Night" and "Hakuna Matata", and his covers of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" and Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" from the film Cool Runnings. He starred in the film The Harder They Come, which helped popularize reggae across the world, and Club Paradise. Cliff was one of five performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Jimmy Cliff was born in Somerton District, St. James, Jamaica. He began writing songs while still at primary school in St. James, listening to a neighbour's sound system. In 1962 his father took him to Kingston to go to Kingston Technical school, where he ended up sharing his cousin's one rented room in East Kingston.
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