Jimmy Cliff

One could make a case that Sam Cooke was never murdered, but instead escaped to Jamaica to be reborn as Jimmy Cliff. Cliff radiates more soul than a cathedral on Christmas day. His 1970 album Wonderful World, Beautiful People put reggae on the map, while showing how various global styles (Ska, R&B, Gospel, and protest music) could be fused together without diluting any one element. The public, as well as artists like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, revered him, and the film The Harder They Come cemented Cliff's lofty position. He was soon overshadowed by the rise of Bob Marley, but his amazing vocal gifts and songwriting talents put him back on top of the reggae heap.