Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican ska & reggae musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and actor. He is the only living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences...
NationalityJamaican
ProfessionMusician
Date of Birth1 April 1948
CountryJamaica
telling
I grew up in the church and had always questioned what they were telling me.
coming create gates known music opened people singer songwriter vehicle
It was the vehicle that propelled me to international stardom. I was known as a singer songwriter before that, but people did not know me as an actor. It showed the world where the music I contributed to create was coming from. It opened the gates for Jamaican music, internationally.
bit cliff guess jimmy outside step
With acting, you have to become someone else. That's the fun part of it for me - to step outside of yourself and become a character. I guess being Jimmy Cliff is a little bit of a character, too.
artist forgotten time
Now you can manufacture just about what you want and after just a little time the artist is forgotten and gone.
phase sought
It's phase we're going through. Eventually, what is real will be sought after again.
music perry songs
Someone like Katy Perry - I like her writing because I listen to music as a songwriter. I like a lot of her songs - like, 'Firework' is a song that I think I could write.
travel
I wanted to travel the world - I don't how that idea got in my head, but I really wanted to see the world... towns, cities, countries, I wanted to see them all.
acting complete love
I used to do a little acting in school. It was my first love, and I really thought I would be doing it as a career. I really wanted to complete that part of my ambition.
certain hang likes observe positive
I'm the kind of person who likes to hang out and observe what's going on in the streets, or in certain places. I used to do that a lot. But having to become an international superstar, I can't do that comfortably! But it's all positive, you know.
fly learn money opportunity regret time
I regret I didn't ever learn how to fly a plane. I had the opportunity when I started to make some money, and I regret I didn't really take the time out and put the effort in and do that.
born create establish helped music represent
The music that I represent and helped to create and establish was born in Jamaica.
The first thing I wanted to be was an actor, even before I wanted to be a singer, before I discovered I could sing.
issues life stayed throughout
Basically, I'm motivated to write about sociopolitical issues as well as relationships. I think those themes have stayed with me throughout my life.
relationships
My most important relationships were with my father and grandmother.