No, Jimmy Cliff is alive and kicking. He is currently 78 years old.
The Jamaican musician started writing songs while still at primary school in St. James, listening to a neighbour’s sound system.
At age 14, Cliff rose to prominence with his hit track “Hurricane Hattie”.
He subsequently released several songs including Many Rivers to Cross, You Can Get It If You Really Want, The Harder They Come, Reggae Night, Hakuna Matata, I Can See Clearly Now, Rebel In Me, and many others.
On October 20, 2003, Jimmy Cliff received The Order of Merit, one of Jamaican’s highest awards for his contribution to the arts.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 2010.
In December 2012, Cliff was named ‘Artist of the Year’ by the digital newspaper the Caribbean Journal, citing his work on Rebirth.
As an actor, Jimmy Cliff is known for The Harder They Come (1972), The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) and Mission: Impossible III (2006) and Bouton Rouge (1968).