Gov’t Accords Official Funeral for Musical Icon, Jimmy Cliff

The Government has accorded an official funeral to musical icon James “Jimmy Cliff” Chambers, who passed away on Monday (November 24) at age 81.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, made the announcement during a tribute in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 25).

She also revealed that the renowned global Reggae music standard bearer left “specific instructions about how he wants Jamaica to say farewell to him”, adding that these will be made public at a later time.

Born in Somerton, St. James, on July 30, 1944, Jimmy Cliff rose from modest beginnings to become a central figure in Reggae’s rise to international prominence.

The Minister noted that with his passing, Jamaica and the world have lost one of the greatest proponents of Jamaican music and one of the nation’s greatest and most beloved sons.

“His passing has left us deeply saddened, as the transitioning of Jimmy represents a major loss… not just for Jamaica but for the world. He gave so much of his life to delivering meaningful music, which resonated in every corner of the globe. He had a unique sound, a unique voice, he was a prolific songwriter, and all his songs had meaning,” Ms. Grange said.

Jimmy Cliff was the recipient of Jamaica’s third highest national honour, the Order of Merit (OM). In March 2019, he was further honoured when Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay was renamed Jimmy Cliff Boulevard.

“Of course, when we found out that Jimmy, as an ambassador representing Jamaica, did not have an official passport, we made sure that he was recognised by handing him an official passport. When we celebrated Jamaica 55, Jimmy came to the National Stadium, and in front of over 30,000 Jamaicans, he received the National Icon Award,” Ms. Grange said.

“He was not scheduled to sing, but he turned to the Prime Minister, and in accepting the award, he started to sing… we couldn’t stop him, and his voice was still clear and very distinct. Jimmy was always thinking about home and what was happening in Jamaica. In fact, he was concerned about Hurricane Melissa, and we actually talked about ‘Hurricane Hattie’ and when he wrote that song. Unfortunately, Hurricane Melissa hit the west real hard and it impacted on his hometown, and Jimmy was looking forward to being back here in Jamaica to share and to assist in the rebuilding process,” she added.

Jimmy Cliff’s early hits, including Hurricane Hattie, laid the groundwork for a sound that would evolve into Reggae, culminating in his starring role in the 1972 landmark film ‘The Harder They Come’ and its iconic soundtrack.