The Government will execute an official funeral for musical icon James “Jimmy Cliff” Chambers, who passed away on Monday, November 24, at age 81.

Minister of Culture and Entertainment 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.

“He gave so much of his life to delivering meaningful music, which resonated in every corner of the globe,” she said.

Jimmy Cliff was the recipient of Jamaica’s third-highest national honour, the Order of Merit (OM).

“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.

— JIS