“Unbeatable”: Keith Richards thought Jimmy Cliff was the best singer he’d ever worked with
It seems that 2025 is a year that has it out for musical legends. We’ve lost a number of great minds these past 12 months, the most recent of which is the man who turned reggae into a worldwide phenomenon, Jimmy Cliff.
His wife, Latifa Chambers, took to social media to deliver the sad news to fans. “It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” she wrote, “I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworker who have shared his journey with him.”
She continued, “To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career… Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes.”
We talk a lot about music as a form of connection. When you go to a gig, you’re not only watching an artist whose work you enjoy, but you’re revelling in that enjoyment with a room full of strangers. There’s a profound electricity in venues when you realise this is happening, and it’s hard to not be moved by it. Cliff’s music was some of the very best when it came to establishing these unspoken bonds, as he had a beautiful voice that spoke of hope, unity, and love.
You could argue that a lot of the reggae artists we know and love today might not have been able to make a name for themselves were it not for Cliff. Cliff moved over to the UK at a young age and first caught people’s attention by releasing ‘Wonderful World, Beautiful People’. The public picked up on his unique voice, but it wasn’t until he starred in the film The Harder They Come that listeners began to truly appreciate Cliff’s talent for what it was.
The film’s soundtrack that Cliff played a big part in creating has since become the stuff of legend. That ska and reggae sound which was embedded in every second of the record is something which continues to stand the test of time, with musical legends from all over calling it an influence on some level. Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello have both previously referenced the album as being a game changer, meanwhile, rock legend Keith Richards has previously said that he thinks Cliff is an “unbeatable” artist.
“He wrote some of the most beautiful ballads that ever came out of Jamaica,” said Richards when talking about the influence of the reggae star. “Unbeatable songs, and the voice of an angel, you know?” In fact, in a list of his favourite singers of all time, Richards placed the late star in second, with only Aretha Franklin standing above him.
Richards was a huge fan of Cliff, as the way he sang and the soul that he injected into every single one of his songs was something that the guitarist resonated with deeply. The two of them worked together over the years and jammed on a number of occasions, as Richards is one name on the long list of people who felt something because of Cliff’s music.
The influence that Cliff had is something which will live on, both in the hearts of those he influenced and those who simply enjoyed listening to his music. In life and in death, his timeless sound will remain exactly that: timeless.
