American singer Johnny Nash, best known for his hit "I Can See Clearly Now", died Tuesday at his residence in Houston. He was the first non-Jamaican to record reggae in Jamaica, a genre he helped introduce to the general public.
The Texan made his debut in 1957 on the single "A Teenager Sings The Blues". The following year, he released "A Very Special Love", a cover of Doris Day. But he rose to fame in 1972 thanks to his song "I Can See Clearly Now" which will remain at number 1 on the charts for a few consecutive weeks, in the United States and in many other countries. The song has since been covered by various artists, including Jamaican Jimmy Cliff for the film “Rasta Rocket” in 1993.
Johnny Nash has also worked on the music for several movies and TV series. He also made some forays into the world of cinema: the artist appeared in the films "Take A Giant Step" (1959) and "Key Witness" (1960).
He died at the age of 80.