Tuesday, February 12, 2019

R.I.P Oliver Mtukudzi

I just learned this week that Oliver Mtukudzi passed away last month. I found at when Bonnie Raitt mentioned it when I saw her in concert opening up for James Taylor. You are probably saying who is Oliver Mtukudzi. Per Wikipedia "he was considered to have been Zimbabwe's most renowned and recognized cultural icon of all time." I know of him and was able to see him perform thanks to Bonnie Raitt.

Oliver wrote the beautiful song "Hear Me Lord" which Bonnie Raitt recorded on her Silver Lining release. The first time I saw Bonnie was at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (Jazzfest) shortly after that album was released. Anyway she brought him on stage something like this...


Here he performs a beautiful song "Neria"


Not all of his songs are in English nor should they be. 

Here he is with Ladysmith Black Mambazo "Hello My Baby"


Here he performs "Zimbabwe" with Joss Stone..


Hopefully his songs will live on. He will be missed by his fans, musicians and families. He will also be missed by Zimbabwe.



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