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Jimmy Cliff

Born in 1948 in St. Catherine, Jamaica

Jimmy Cliff's Genre:

Reggae, Reggae-Pop, Roots Reggae, Soul, Contemporary Reggae, R&B, Rocksteady

Biography

It's one of the music industry's great ironies that today, outside of reggae circles, Jimmy Cliff is perhaps better known for his film appearances than his music. Even after a string of hits, the singer never quite managed to break into the mainstream, although he seemed poised for international stardom during the late '60s/early '70s. The singer was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, on April 1, 1948, with the less prosaic name James Chambers. His talent was evident from childhood, and he began his career appearing at local shows and parish fairs. Feeling ready for the big time at the age of 14, he moved to Kingston and took the surname Cliff to express the heights he intended on reaching. Cliff recorded two unsuccessful singles before he was spotted by Derrick Morgan, who brought him to Leslie Kong. His first single for the budding producer, "Hurricane Hattie," was an instant hit. Unusually, Cliff remained with Kong until the producer's death; most Jamaican artists flit from studio to studio. The singer's loyalty was rewarded, however, by a string of follow-up hits. In the early years, the pair helped set the ska scene alight, both in Jamaica and in Britain, where the singer's singles were picked up by Island Records. "Miss Jamaica," "King of Kings," "One Eyed Jacks," and "Pride and Passion" have since become classics of the original ska era.

By 1964, Cliff's star was so bright that he was selected as one of Jamaica's representatives at the World's Fair. A successful residency in Paris followed, and Island head Chris Blackwell eventually convinced the singer to relocate to Britain. The label itself was in the process of shifting away from Jamaican music and into progressive rock, and thus Cliff began composing songs with an eye to cross over into that market.

It was a risky plan, but ultimately a successful one. In 1968, Cliff released his debut album, the excellent Hard Road, and won the International Song Festival with "Waterfall," a song that became a smash hit in Brazil. He swiftly moved to that country to take advantage of his success, but even greater heights were in the offing. The following year, "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" proved to be his international breakthrough. The single soared to number six on the British charts, and charmed its way into the Top 25 in the States. The song's anti-war follow-up, "Vietnam," proved to be less popular, even if Bob Dylan called it the best protest song he'd ever heard. Regardless, Cliff's new album, 1969's Wonderful World, was critically acclaimed, and saw the singer starting to build a following amongst the AOR crowd.

The title track, a cover of Cat Steven's "Wild World," was another smash in 1970, and Desmond Dekker took Cliff's own "You Can Get It if You Really Want" to number two in Britain. And then tragedy struck. Leslie Kong, who had continued to oversee Cliff's career during this entire period, died unexpectedly of a heart attack in August 1971. The singer was at a loss, as he'd grown up under the producer's wing and was abruptly forced to fend for himself. Another Cycle, which arrived later that year, was proof that Cliff was beginning to get his career back on track. One of the last projects Kong had undertaken was overseeing the soundtrack to the movie The Harder They Come. Produced and written by Perry Henzell, this powerful film featured Cliff in the leading role, and upon its release swiftly became an underground classic. The soundtrack, which boasted a clutch of Cliff's own compositions, was an equally seminal record.

This should have pushed the singer into the mainstream, but Island dropped the ball and turned their attention to Bob Marley instead. The timing was also off in the U.S., where the movie didn't see release until 1975. Cliff left Island's roster and signed to Reprise in the U.S. and EMI in the U.K., but fared no better on either label. 1973's Unlimited, 1974's Struggling Man, and the following year's Brave Warrior were unable to sustain the success of Another Cycle, never mind improve upon it. During this time, Cliff converted to Islam and traveled to Africa in search of his roots, and his newfound religious devotion began to heavily influence his music. In 1975, with the release of The Harder They Come in the U.S., Cliff's second album for the year, Follow My Mind, immediately grabbed America's attention and became his first album to reach into the bottom of the chart. Reprise then decided it was time for a greatest-hits collection, although this would be accomplished via a live album. Rolling Stones' producer Andrew Loog Oldham was brought in to oversee the project, and Cliff was sent out on the road to tour and record. What the label received was one of Cliff's most ferocious albums to date, Live: In Concert. The singer was not ready to wallow in nostalgia, and throughout the rest of the decade he continued releasing albums that were thoroughly modern in sound and fierce in delivery.

Cliff ended his relationship with Reprise in the new decade with 1981's "Give the People What They Want, and moved to Columbia. He formed a new backing band, Oneness, and embarked on a tour of the U.S. with Peter Tosh; there was also a fabulous performance at Reggae Sunsplash that year. 1983's The Power and the Glory inaugurated his partnership with Kool & the Gang, and the album was nominated for a Grammy. Its follow-up, Cliff Hanger, would win the award in 1985. However, 1989's Hanging Fire became his last effort for Columbia, although the singer continued to release material in both Jamaica and the U.K. During this period, Cliff also co-starred in the movie Club Paradise. He returned to the American charts in 1993 with his cover of "I Can See Clearly Now," from the soundtrack for Cool Runnings, which glided into the Top 20. More singles and albums followed, and the singer remained a potent musical force. A comeback album of sorts, Black Magic, which featured duets with high profile stars like Sting, Joe Strummer, Wyclef Jean and others, appeared from Artemis Records in 2004. In 2012 he partnered with Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong for Rebirth, a nostalgic return to form. ~ Jo-Ann Greene

AOL Radio Stations Jimmy Cliff is Featured on (11)

TV Commercials

Music placement in television commercials has become a new form of music discovery. TV Commercials on Slacker Radio is the solution for anybody that's ever said "what WAS that song?" after hearing a 15 second clip during a commercial break. This station features all of the songs that are currently featured in major advertising campaigns, and additional songs from iconic advertisements over the years.

Coachella 2012

The 13th Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival will be held over two consecutive weekends, the first on April 13-15 and the second on April 20-22. Coachella is held at the beautiful Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA and the 2012 line-up includes headlining performances from Radiohead, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg, and The Black Keys. Coachella 2012 also features some historic reunions, featuring performances by Pulp, At The Drive-In, Refused, and fIREHOSE. Hear all of this year's Coachella artists in one place- on the Coachella 2012 station on Slacker Radio!

Filter Magazine - Austin 2012

Check out the hottest indie acts performing at the 2012 SXSW Music Festival by tuning to “Filter Magazine - Austin 2012” on Slacker Radio. Hear music from indie sensations like Built To Spill, Keane, Kaiser Chiefs, Fanfarlo, Band of Skulls, Mike Snow, YACHT, The Drums and many more.

Hot Water Music Showcase

This is the Hot Water Music Artist Showcase station on Slacker Radio. Tune in to hear a station built entirely by the band including music hand-picked by Chuck, Chris, Jason and George as well as commentary about the songs that influenced their music and their lives.

Chiddy Bang Showcase

This is the Chiddy Bang Artist Showcase station on Slacker Radio. Tune in to hear a station built entirely by the members of Chiddy Bang including music hand-picked by Chidera and Noah as well as commentary by each about the songs that influenced their music and their lives.

Patrick Stump Showcase

This is the Patrick Stump Artist Showcase station on Slacker Radio. Tune-in to hear music hand-picked by Patrick as well as commentary about the songs that influenced his music and his life.

Matt Costa Showcase

This is the Matt Costa Artist Showcase station on Slacker Radio. Tune in to hear music hand-picked by Matt as well as commentary about the songs that influenced his music and his life.

Reggae

Reggae on Slacker Radio features the classic recordings of Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley and Toots and The Maytals mixed with the next generation of breakthrough acts like Ziggy Marley, Luciano, Super Cat, Gregory Isaacs and many more.

Grammy Awards 2013

This station features all of the hits from the 2013 Grammy nominated artists. From established stars like Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen to breakout artists like Gotye and Frank Ocean- you'll hear all of the most acclaimed music of the last year, as determined by a panel of their peers.

The Current

The Current brings you the best authentic new music alongside the music that inspired it, from unique to universal, indie to influential, new to nostalgic. Broadcasting from the musical hotbed that is Minnesota, listen to The Current and you’ll see why we say, “Great Music Lives Here.” Find playlist, interviews and more at thecurrent.org.

Jimmy Cliff

This station plays the best music from and music from related artists like Peter Tosh, Steel Pulse, Ziggy Marley, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Stephen Marley, Gregory Isaacs, Toots & the Maytals, Black Uhuru and more.

All Stations

Jimmy Cliff's Selected Discography (50)

Artists Related to Jimmy Cliff (50)

	Peter Tosh	Singer, musician, composer, and rebel Peter Tosh cut a swathe through the Jamaican musical scene, both as a founding member of the Wailers and as a solo artist.
	Steel Pulse	Steel Pulse were one of Britain's greatest reggae bands, rivaled only by Aswad in terms of creative and commercial success.
	Ziggy Marley	The oldest son of reggae legend Bob Marley and his wife Rita, Ziggy Marley was the natural heir to the throne left vacant by his father's untimely death in 1981.
	Bob Marley & the Wailers	For marketing purposes, Bob Marley, the Wailers, and Bob Marley & the Wailers have become interchangeable names, used indiscriminately to refer to recordings actually made by separate entities.
	Bob Marley	Reggae's most transcendent and iconic figure, Bob Marley was the first Jamaican artist to achieve international superstardom, in the process introducing the music of his native island nation to the far-flung corners of the globe.
	Burning Spear	One of the most brilliant and respected roots artists in Jamaica's history, Burning Spear (aka Winston Rodney) has unleashed a host of classic dread records over the years.
	Stephen Marley	Bob Marley's second son, Stephen Marley, first appeared on record in 1979, when he was only six years old.
	Gregory Isaacs	One of Jamaica's most beloved vocalists who was as pertinent in dancehalls as he was in bedrooms, Gregory Isaacs' career stretched over 30 years.
	Toots & the Maytals	While they never achieved the commercial success or cultural impact of the Wailers, Toots & the Maytals were nearly as important in the history of Jamaican music; like the Wailers, the Maytals thrived as ska gave way to rocksteady and then evolved into reggae, they boasted one of the island's finest singers and most charismatic frontmen in the great Toots Hibbert, and they worked with many of the most important producers and sidemen on the island.
	Black Uhuru	The most successful of the second-generation reggae bands, Black Uhuru maintained their high quality despite numerous personnel changes in their 40-plus-year history.
	Damian "Junior Gong" Marley	Damian Marley was only two when his father died, but the youngest of the Marley sons must have learned something.
	Bunny Wailer	As a founding member of the Wailers, and the trio's only surviving member, Bunny Wailer, has become a respected elder statesmen of the Jamaican music scene.
	The Wailers	Following leader Bob Marley's death from cancer on May 11, 1981, the Wailers Band struggled nearly a decade for direction, hampered from releasing their own music by a Gordian knot of legal entanglements.
	Barrington Levy	One of the great success stories of the '80s, Barrington Levy, arrived on the dancehall scene and swiftly remodeled it in his own image.
	Julian Marley	The son of reggae legend Bob Marley and Lucy Pounder, Julian Marley grew up away from his half-brothers Ziggy and Damian, having been raised in England with his mother.
	Ky-Mani Marley	Following in the legacy of his father's footsteps, Ky-Mani Marley continues on with the pop-reggae sound for which his family is known.
	Inner Circle	Inner Circle is, of course, best known for "Bad Boys," a ubiquitous crossover hit thanks to its use as the theme song for the long-running Fox TV reality series Cops.
	Buju Banton	Buju Banton was one of the most popular dancehall reggae artists of the '90s. Debuting with a series of popular "slack" singles, which drew criticism for their graphic sexuality and homophobia, Banton converted to Rastafarianism and revolutionized dancehall by employing the live instrumentation and social consciousness of classic roots reggae.
	Yellowman	Jamaica's first dancehall superstar, Yellowman ushered in a new era in reggae music following Bob Marley's death.
	Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers	Originally formed at the request of their father, Bob Marley, it was only after his death that the Melody Makers came into their own.
	Freddie McGregor	Freddie McGregor is one of reggae's most durable and soulful singers, with an incredibly steady career that started all the way back in the '60s, when he was just seven years old.
	Collie Buddz	Born in New Orleans but raised in Bermuda, dancehall singer Collie Buddz was entranced by the urban music of his island home.
	Eek-A-Mouse	Ludicrous, bizarre, and uniquely original, few DJs have made such a splash in the dancehall scene than Eek-A-Mouse.
	Dennis Brown	One of Jamaica's most beloved and prolific artists, the late Dennis Brown has left behind a slew of classic songs and myriad hits, a rich musical legacy born of a career that spanned over 30 years.
	Culture	Vocal trio Culture helped define the sound and style of Rastafarian roots reggae, thanks largely to charismatic singer, songwriter, and leader Joseph Hill.
	Beres Hammond	One of the most underappreciated reggae artists of his time, Beres Hammond was something of a throwback during his '90s heyday: a soulful crooner indebted to classic rocksteady and American R&B, one who preferred live instrumentation and wrote much of his own material.
	Lee "Scratch" Perry	Some call him a genius, others claim he's certifiably insane, a madman. Truth is, he's both, but more importantly, Lee Perry is a towering figure in reggae -- a producer, mixer, and songwriter who, along with King Tubby, helped shape the sound of dub and made reggae music such a powerful part of the pop music world.
	Israel Vibration	A living lesson in fortitude, the vocal trio of Cecil "Skeleton" Spence, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin overcame adversity, illness, and poverty to become one of the finest roots groups in Jamaica's history.
	Third World	Third World are one of the longest-lived reggae bands of all time, and one of Jamaica's most consistently popular crossover acts among international audiences.
	Sizzla	Emerging during the latter half of the '90s, the enormously prolific Sizzla was one of the leaders of the conscious dancehall movement.
	Luciano	A superstar in his native Jamaica, Luciano combines his love of God and beauty into a soulful, spiritual blend of rock and R&B-tinged reggae.
	Shaggy	Emerging in the early '90s, Shaggy was the biggest crossover success in dancehall reggae. Not only did he become the genre's most commercially potent artist in the international market, he was also more than just a typical flash in the pan, managing to sustain a career over the course of several highly popular albums.
	Capleton	Along with Buju Banton and Sizzla, Capleton spearheaded dancehall's return to reggae tradition, tackling Rastafarian spiritual themes and using classic roots reggae as a musical foundation.
	Shabba Ranks	During his heyday, Shabba Ranks was arguably the most popular dancehall toaster in the world. He was a massive crossover success in the U.
	Morgan Heritage	The legacy of reggae vocalist Denroy Morgan has been passed on to his sons, who have performed as Morgan Heritage since 1991.
	Beenie Man	One of Jamaica's most crucial DJs, Beenie Man's recording career stretches back to 1981, although it was in the sound systems where he later made his mark.
	Jah Cure	Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, but raised in Kingston Town, golden-voiced singer Jah Cure (real name Siccature Alcock) became involved with reggae music as a teenager and rapidly rose to fame in the late '90s only to have his meteoric climb to the top halted by a jail sentence.
	Lucky Dube	Lucky Dube (born Ermelo Dube; pronounced "doo bay") is one of South Africa's best-selling artists and one of its most outspoken performers.
	Bushman	Bushman was a key part of the roots reggae resurgence in Jamaica in the late 1990s, and his rich, sincere baritone give his songs a strong, bedrock appeal.
	Cocoa Tea	Cocoa Tea was one of the few early dancehall stars to carve out a consistent, productive career as the genre evolved over the years.
	Maxi Priest	Christened the "King of Lovers Rock" by his fans, British reggae star Maxi Priest was one of the most internationally popular reggae singers since Bob Marley.
	Half Pint	Dancehall singjay Half Pint recorded some of the genre's early classics during the first half of the '80s.
	Gyptian	Windell Beneto Edwards became the singer known as Gyptian when he left his rural home in St. Andrew, Jamaica, and traveled to Portmore, the town where the promoter known as Mr.
	Ini Kamoze	For Ini Kamoze, the road to success has been arduous and he has undergone many substantial changes musically and physically since he burst onto the music scene in 1983 with his highly successful eponymous debut album for Island.
	Richie Spice	Kingston-based dancehall singer Richie Spice (a.k.a. Richell Bonner) comes from a reggae family: his brothers include DJ Snatcher Dogg, vocalist Spanner Banner, and producer Pliers of Chakademus and Pliers.
	Anthony B	Reggae singer Anthony B. was born Keith Blair in Clarks Town, Jamaica; after performing with church and school choirs throughout his youth, he made his debut as a DJ with the local sound system Shaggy Hi-Power.
	Elephant Man	The boisterous DJ Elephant Man (aka Energy God) was born O'Neil Bryan in 1974. Overly large ears as a child earned him the nickname "Dumbo Elephant" from his classmates in the Seaview Gardens area of Kingston, Jamaica.
	Sanchez	Reggae singer Sanchez was born Kevin Anthony Jackson in Kingston, Jamaica on November 30, 1964. A member of his church choir throughout adolescence, he became immersed in reggae while in high school, and was eventually named the selector for the local Rambo Sound System.
	Junior Kelly	b. Keith Morgan, 23 September 1969, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Morgan was educated at St. Catherine High School and through peer pressure inherited his brother Jim’s musical legacy.
	Super Cat	A major figure in the positive-consciousness dancehall movement, Jamaican DJ/toaster Super Cat was born William Maragh in a ghetto section of Kingston known as Cockburn Pen or Seivright Gardens (the same area that produced DJ stars like U-Roy and Prince Jazzbo).