by
Ryan Clement
ON MONDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 2025, I was driving clockwise on the M25 motorway, having had a long overdue catch-up with a dear good friend of mine and her lovely family in Sussex, England, when I received a call from Caz to say that the singer Jimmy Cliff had left us to meet his maker.
When people speak of famous reggae singers, they are probably most likely to think of the great Bob Marley first. This is understandable because Mr. Marley was a wonderful poet, musician and singer.
However, JC is right up there with Mr. Marley in his own right. In my view, the sign of a great artist, of any genre, is one who transcends over many eras and remains current and relevant. On that basis, JC ticks all the boxes.
In one video I am playing his version of Johnny Nash’s classic, I can see clearly now, to a Kos video and the next I am playing his, Many Rivers to Cross, to a short video on my agreeing to speak at the Ethnicity Pay Gap Summit 2026 in London.
As with Mr. Marley’s, Mr. Jimmy Cliff’s music is as relevant and current today as it/they were YesterYear.
May you Rest in Eternal Peace, Sir!
Copyright © Ryan Clement 2025
Ryan Clement 