Jimmy Cliff

The Profile

Jimmy Cliff is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and actor who helped bring reggae to international audiences. Star of the 1972 film The Harder They Come, he’s known for classics like Many Rivers to Cross and You Can Get It If You Really Want. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 and holds Jamaica’s Order of Merit.

Born James Chambers in 1948 in St. James, Jamaica; global reggae figure; starred in The Harder They Come (1972); major songs include Many Rivers to Cross, You Can Get It If You Really Want and The Harder They Come; won the 1986 Grammy for Cliff Hanger; inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2010); recipient of Jamaica’s Order of Merit.

One glowing review celebrates Jimmy Cliff via The Harder They Come soundtrack, praising its role in the ska→rocksteady→reggae transition and spotlighting fellow greats like the Melodians, Maytals, and Desmond Dekker. Key Cliff cuts—The Harder They Come and You Can Get It If You Really Want—get special love. The write-up frames reggae’s spirituality and street grit, with quotes and anecdotes rooted in Jamaican music history.