The St James Parish Council is to debate a motion to rename Gloucester Avenue to Jimmy Cliff Avenue next month.
Councillor Homer Davis Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) Councillor representing the Cambridge division in Southern St James gave notice at the June 9 monthly meeting of the St James Parish Council of his intention to move a motion to effect the change.
“Jimmy Cliff is a noted son of St James who has risen to astronomical heights in the music industry worldwide, and it is fitting that we in this Parish give recognition to him in an appropriate way,” Councillor Davis told the meeting.
He said that the resolution will be debated at the next Council meeting in July.
“It is my view that it will receive bipartisan, and unanimous support, not only for what it represents, but also for the fact that the Internationally recognized show Reggae Sumfest will be staged around that time with a strong emphasis on culture. So the timing is perfect,” Davis said.Cliff, who is rated second among globally acclaimed Jamaican artists only to the late Bob Marley, was born in 1948 in Somerton, St James. He is the only living Jamaican musician holding the Order of Merit, the highest honor that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences.
He is best known among mainstream audiences for songs such as “Wonderful World, Beautiful People”, “Many Rivers to Cross”, “You Can Get It If You Really Want”, “The Harder They Come” and his cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World”.
Cliff also starred in the first Jamaican made full-length movie, The Harder They Come. He was one of five performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Gloucester Avenue is considered the capital of Montego Bay’s entertainment hip strip.
By Balford Henry
You must log in to post a comment.