28 Facts About Jimmy Cliff

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.

Jimmy Cliff starred in the film The Harder They Come, which helped popularize reggae around the world, and Club Paradise.

Jimmy Cliff was one of five performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Jimmy Cliff was born James Chambers on 30 July 1944 in Saint James, Colony of Jamaica.

Jimmy Cliff began writing songs while still at primary school in St James, listening to a neighbour's sound system.

Jimmy Cliff sought out many producers while still going to school, trying to get his songs recorded without success.

Jimmy Cliff soon signed to Island Records and moved to the United Kingdom.

Also during this period, Jimmy Cliff released a cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" as a single, but it was not included on his Wonderful World, Beautiful People album.

In 1972, Jimmy Cliff starred as Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin in the classic reggae film, The Harder They Come, directed by Perry Henzell.

In 1984, Jimmy Cliff appeared at the Pinkpop Festival in Landgraaf, Netherlands.

Also in 1985, Jimmy Cliff contributed to the song "Sun City", a protest song written and composed by Steven Van Zandt and recorded by Artists United Against Apartheid to convey opposition to the South African policy of apartheid.

Jimmy Cliff then provided backing vocals on The Rolling Stones' 1986 album Dirty Work, and appeared in the comedy Club Paradise, co-starring with Robin Williams and Peter O'Toole, and contributed several songs to the soundtrack, including "Seven Day Weekend", which he sang with Elvis Costello.

Jimmy Cliff's recording of "You Can Get It If You Really Want" was used as a campaign anthem by the Sandinista National Liberation Front in the 1990 election in Nicaragua.

Jimmy Cliff continued to sell well in Jamaica and, to a lesser extent, the UK, returning to the mainstream pop charts in the US and elsewhere with a version of Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" on the Cool Runnings film soundtrack in 1993.

In 1995, Jimmy Cliff released the single "Hakuna Matata", a collaboration with Lebo M, a song from the soundtrack of the film The Lion King.

In 1997, Jimmy Cliff was a guest star in an episode of the Cartoon Network talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

In 2001, Jimmy Cliff became an inaugural member of the Independent Music Awards' judging panel to support independent artists.

In 2002, Jimmy Cliff released the album Fantastic Plastic People in Europe, after first providing free downloads using p2p software.

In 2004, Jimmy Cliff completely reworked the songs, dropping the traditional reggae in favour of an electronic sound, for inclusion in Black Magic.

Jimmy Cliff performed at the closing ceremony to the 2002 Commonwealth Games and in 2003, his song "You Can Get It If You Really Want" was included in the soundtrack to the film, Something's Gotta Give.

Jimmy Cliff appeared in July 2003 at the Paleo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland.

In 2007, Jimmy Cliff performed at the opening ceremony at cricket's World Cup.

Jimmy Cliff appeared in the 2011 documentary Reggae Got Soul: The Story of Toots and the Maytals which was featured on BBC and described as "The untold story of one of the most influential artists ever to come out of Jamaica".

In 2011, Jimmy Cliff worked with producer Tim Armstrong, lead singer of American punk band Rancid, on the EP The Sacred Fire and the full-length album Rebirth.

In December 2012, Jimmy Cliff was named 'Artist of the Year' by digital newspaper the Caribbean Journal, citing his work on Rebirth.

Jimmy Cliff was briefly a member of the Rastafari movement before converting to Islam from Christianity.

Jimmy Cliff now describes himself as having a "universal outlook on life", and does not align himself with any particular movement or religion, saying, "now I believe in science".

Jimmy Cliff is married and has a daughter, Lilty Cliff, and a son, Aken Cliff.