Jimmy Cliff

Biography

The Honourable Jimmy Cliff, OM (30 July 1944 – 24 November 2025), known professionally as Jimmy Cliff, was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and actor. At the time of his death, he was 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. He is best known among mainstream audiences for songs such as "Sitting in Limbo," "You Can Get It If You Really Want," and "Many Rivers to Cross" from the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, which helped popularize reggae across the world; and his covers of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" and Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" from the film Cool Runnings. Outside of the reggae world, he is probably best known for his film appearance in The Harder They Come. Jimmy Cliff was one of five performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jimmy Cliff, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Saturday Night Live

Sacrée soirée

Champs-Elysées

Never Mind the Buzzcocks

Space Ghost Coast to Coast

Le monde est à vous

TOTP2

Partido Alto

All Movies (24)

• Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell2021 · as Self (archive footage)
• Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes2019 · as Self
• ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff2018 · as Himself
• Dear Jerry - Celebrating The Music of Jerry Garcia2016 · as Self
• Lennon or McCartney2014 · as Self
• Muscle Shoals2013 · as Self
• Marley2012 · as Self
• Toots and the Maytals Reggae Got Soul2011 · as Himself
• Titãs - A Vida Até Parece Uma Festa2009 · as Self (archive footage)
• O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar2009 · as Self (archive footage)
• Formel Eins - Die Kultvideos Vol. 22008 · as Self (archive footage)
• Jimmy Cliff - Moving On2006 · as Singer
• Rude Boy: The Jamaican Don2003 · as Wise Man
• One Love: The Bob Marley All-Star Tribute1999 · as Self - Perfomer
• Acústico MTV: Titãs1997 · as Self
• Marked for Death1990 · as Himself
• Ôrí1989 · as Self
• A Reggae Session1988 · as Self
• Club Paradise1986 · as Ernest Reed
• Jimmy Cliff - Rockpalast 841984
• Bongo Man1982 · as Self
• Roots Rock Reggae: Inside The Jamaican Music Scene1977 · as Self
• The Harder They Come1972 · as Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin
• This Is Ska1964 · as Himself

All TV Shows (13)

• Never Mind the Buzzcocks1996 · as Self
• TOTP21994 · as Self
• Space Ghost Coast to Coast1994
• Le monde est à vous1987 · as Self
• Sacrée soirée1987 · as Self
• Partido Alto1984 · as Self
• Champs-Elysées1982 · as Self
• Grandes Nomes1980 · as Self
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Musical Guest
• Rockpalast1974
• Rock Concert1973 · as Self
• Spotlight1968 · as self
• 4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet1966 · as Self