Jimmy Cliff

To varying degrees of interest and success, reggae legend Jimmy Cliff continues to pump out new studio albums like clockwork—the latest being the upcoming Existence, which Cliff describes as "a concept album about existence." Since breaking into the reggae pantheon in 1972 with The Harder They Come—the album and the Jamaican gangster film he starred in—Cliff has been beloved and covered by everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Widespread Panic to New Order. The secret to Cliff's broad, longstanding success is simple: He effortlessly balances a sun-drenched pop vibe with a serious, heavy roots-reggae core. Now in his 60s, the intrepid road warrior took most of 2009 off to work on Existence, but he still peppers every live set with a generous helping of his '70s anthems. 

Updated 07/27/2010