Dear Editor,

Dr James “Jimmy Cliff’’ Chambers was a proud Jamaican, living legend, cultural icon, and multi-talented musical genius. He was a great songwriter and singer, an actor, dancer, musician, and a most energetic performer on stage. I watched him, my all-time favourite artiste, perform live at Rebel Salute in 2005. It was an endearing, energetic, electrifying, and most enjoyable performance.

Jimmy Cliff’s music and message throughout his many-decades-long, distinguished career stirred emotions of joy, inspiration, meaning, motivation, yearning, and the zest to be our best.

He was a true pioneer of reggae and a global ambassador who introduced our music to far-flung areas of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and North and South America. His songs portrayed his passion, philosophy, and purpose with timeless themes of consciousness and oneness, challenges and struggles, determination and resilience, injustice and poverty, love and peace.

Jimmy Cliff was conscious and proud of his African ancestry and was well aware that our foreparents “toiled under the sun, moon, and stars’’ during bondage. No wonder he declared, “I would rather be a freeman in my grave, than living as a puppet or a slave.’’

Life is never without challenges and Jimmy Cliff was a great motivator when he sang about Struggling Man, Hard Road to Travel, and Many Rivers to Cross, but You Can Get It If You Really Want!’

One of the finest entertainers ever, Jimmy Cliff duly deserved all the recognition and fame he achieved: the Order of Merit; two Grammy Awards; and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the ultimate honour in the music industry.

I was truly saddened when I learnt Jimmy Cliff had passed. Sincerest condolence to his family and friends. He breathes no more, but his life and music will continue to inspire and uplift us and future generations. May his soul journey on higher and higher to oneness and perpetual peace.

Daive R Facey

dr.facey@gmail.com