Jimmy Cliff to play at new Montbleu venue

MontBleu and PR Entertainment present the legendary Jimmy Cliff  on Saturady, Aug. 25 in the brand new MontBleu Amphitheatre located at the MontBleu Casino Resort in Lake Tahoe.

Special guest artists include The Storytellers, UpRising, Josh White, Eph Bee Cee, Squarefield Massive and J Ras.

Jimmy Cliff is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honor that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences.

Cliff is best known among mainstream audiences for songs such as “The Harder They Come,” “Sitting in Limbo,” “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and “Many Rivers to Cross” from the soundtrack to “The Harder They Come,” which helped popularize reggae across the world.

He is also known for his covers of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World” and Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now” from the film “Cool Runnings.”

Outside of the reggae world, he is probably best known for his film appearance in “The Harder They Come.”

Cliff was one of five performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Celebrating the release of his first studio album in seven years, “Rebirth,” which is named after what Cliff perceives as his own artistic revival, the reggae pioneer has never really been away, working with a who’s-who of other rock legends over the years, including the Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello and Annie Lennox, his songs covered by the likes of Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Cher, New Order and Fiona Apple.

Last year, he made a triumphant appearance at the Bonnaroo festival and this year headlined the main stage at Coachella.

Opening acts include The Storytellers, a collective of Sacramento’s finest roots, reggae and Ska musicians, and UpRising, a seven-member reggae and culture ensemble that hails from the Great Battle-Born State of Nevada, comprised of members from the South Pacific island Tonga.

The rich harmonies common to traditional Tongan folk and culture music can be heard in the songwriting and performances.

Also on the bill is Josh White, one of the hottest urban artists in the country who is celebrating the No. 1 single in Hawaii right now, and Eph Bee Cee (Fam Bam Crew) a regional Polynesian reggae band who will open up the evening’s festivities with island roots reggae, along with DJs Squarefield Massive and J Ras, both from Sacramento.

Doors open at 5 p.m. on Aug. 25. The first act starts at 5:30 p.m.

General admission tickets are on sale now for $39.50 by calling MontBleu at  775-588-3515, at the box office, or online at ticketmaster.com.

Special family pricing is available with accompanied children 12 and under.

Food and beverage concessions and a sponsor/vendor village are located inside the amphitheatre.

This is an all ages event.