Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi (22 September 1952 – 23 January 2019) was a Zimbabwean musician, businessman, philanthropist, human rights activist and

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. The United Nations Intern ...

for Southern Africa Region.

Career

Mtukudzi grew up in

Highfield Highfield may refer to: Places ;Places in England * Highfield, Bolton * Highfield, Derbyshire * Highfield, Gloucestershire *Highfield, Southampton *Highfield, Hertfordshire a neighbourhood in Hemel Hempstead * Highfield, Oxfordshire * Highfield, S ...

, a poor neighborhood in

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

(modern-day Harare) in

Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was a landlocked self-governing British Crown colony in southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally kn ...

. He began performing in 1977 when he joined the Wagon Wheels, a band that also featured

Thomas Mapfumo Thomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo (born July 3, 1945) is a musician nicknamed "The Lion of Zimbabwe" and "Mukanya" (the praise name of his clan in the Shona language) for his immense popularity and for the political influence he wields through his mu ...

and fellow guitarist

James Chimombe James Chimombe (1951–1990) was a Zimbabwean vocalist and a guitarist. His career included stints with OK Success, the Acid Band, the Ocean City Band, and the Huchi Band. His music melded Kenyan, South African, and Congolese influences into Zi ...

. They were given the rare opportunity by Paul Tangi Mhova Mkondo, an

African nationalist African nationalism is an umbrella term which refers to a group of political ideologies in sub-Saharan Africa, which are based on the idea of national self-determination and the creation of nation states.night club available for blacks under Rhodesia's policy of segregation. Their single ''Dzandimomotera'' went gold and Tuku's first album followed, which was also a major success. Mtukudzi was also a contributor to Mahube, Southern Africa's "supergroup". With his husky voice, Mtukudzi became the most recognised voice to emerge from Zimbabwe and onto the international scene and he earned a devoted following across Africa and beyond. A member of Zimbabwe's KoreKore group, with Nzou Samanyanga as his totem, he sang in the nation's dominant

Shona language Shona (; sn, chiShona) is a Bantu language of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. It was codified by the colonial government in the 1950s. According to ''Ethnologue'', Shona, comprising the Zezuru, Korekore and Karanga dialects, is spoken by about 7 ...

along with

Ndebele Ndebele may refer to: *Southern Ndebele people, located in South Africa *Northern Ndebele people, located in Zimbabwe and Botswana Languages *Southern Ndebele language, the language of the South Ndebele *Northern Ndebele language, the language o ...

and English. He also incorporated elements of different musical traditions, giving his music a distinctive style, known to fans as ''Tuku Music''. Mtukudzi had a number of tours around the world. He was on several tours in the UK, US and Canada to perform for large audiences. In 2017 Mtukudzi entertained guests at the wedding of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo.

Social commentary

Prior to the independence of

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

, Mtukudzi's music depicted the struggles under

Rhodesian Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...

white minority rule. In subsequent years following Zimbabwean independence, his music has advocated for tolerance and peace and has frequently portrayed the struggles of women and children.

Personal life and death

Mtukudzi was the father of five children and had two grandchildren. Two of his children are also musicians. His son Sam Mtukudzi, a successful musician in his own right, died in a car accident in March 2010 and in 2013, Mtukudzi released an album titled "Sarawoga", in tribute to his son. On 23 January 2019, Mtukudzi died at the age of 66 at Avenues Clinic in

Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...

, Zimbabwe after a long battle with

diabetes mellitus Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

''Discography''

*1978 ''Ndipeiwo Zano'' (re-released 2000) *1979 ''Chokwadi Chichabuda'' *1979 ''Muroi Ndiani?'' *1980 ''Africa'' (re-released 2000) *1981 ''Shanje'' *1981 ''Pfambi'' *1982 ''Maungira'' *1982 ''Please Ndapota'' *1983 ''Nzara'' *1983 ''Oliver's Greatest Hits'' *1984 ''Hwema Handirase'' *1985 ''Mhaka'' *1986 ''Gona'' *1986 ''Zvauya Sei?'' *1987 ''Wawona'' *1988 ''Nyanga Nyanga '' *1988 ''Strange, Isn't It?'' *1988 ''Sugar Pie'' *1989 ''Grandpa Story'' *1990 ''Chikonzi'' *1990 ''Pss Pss Hallo!'' *1990 ''Shoko'' *1991 ''Mutorwa'' *1992 ''Rombe'' *1992 ''Rumbidzai Jehova'' *1992 ''Neria'' soundtrack *1993 ''Son of Africa'' *1994 ''Ziwere MuKobenhavn'' *1995 ''Was My Child'' *1996 ''Svovi yangu'' *1995 ''The Other Side: Live in Switzerland'' *1995 ''Ivai Navo'' *1997 ''Ndega Zvangu'' (re-released 2001) *1997 ''Chinhamwe'' *1998 ''Dzangu Dziye'' *1999 ''Tuku Music'' *2000 ''Paivepo'' *2001 ''Neria'' *2001 ''Bvuma'' ("Tolerance") *2002 ''Shanda'' soundtrack *2002 ''Vhunze Moto'' *2003 ''Shanda '' (Alula Records) *2003 ''Tsivo'' ("Revenge") *2004 ''Greatest Hits Tuku Years'' *2004 ''Mtukudzi Collection 1991–1997'' *2004 ''Mtukudzi Collection 1984–1991'' *2005 ''Nhava'' *2006 ''Wonai'' *2007 ''Tsimba Itsoka'' *2008 ''Dairai'' (Believe) *2010 ''Rudaviro'' *2010 ''Kutsi Kwemoyo'' (compilation) *2011 ''Rudaviro'' *2011 ''Abi'angu'' ("Duets of My Time") *2012 ''Sarawoga'' — Sarawoga laments the losses that the legend has had to endure in his life, not least the loss of life. Thus he has been left 'alone' in a sense, hence the title Sarawoga (left alone). *2014 ''Mukombe Wemvura'' *2016 ''God Bless You – The Gospel Collection'' *2016 ''Eheka! Nhai Yahwe'' *2018 ''hany'a'' ("Concern")

Contributing artist

# 1996 '' The Rough Guide to the Music of Zimbabwe'' ( World Music Network) # 1999 '' Unwired: Acoustic Music from Around the World'' (World Music Network) # 2000 '' Unwired: Africa'' (World Music Network)

''Filmography''

* ''

Jit Jit (also known as jiti, jit-jive and the Harare beat) is a style of popular Zimbabwean dance music. It features a swift rhythm played on drums and accompanied by a guitar. Jit evolved out many diverse influences, including domestic chimurenga, ...

'' (dir.

Michael Raeburn Michael Raeburn (22 January 1943 or 1948) is a Zimbabwean filmmaker. Life Raeburn's mother was partly Egyptian and his father was British.Kedmon Nyasha Hungwe 2001 Born in Cairo, he lived in Rhodesia from the age of three. He studied at the Unive ...

, 1990) *''

Neria ''Neria'' is a Zimbabwean film made in 1991, written by the novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga. It is directed by Godwin Mawuru and the screenplay was written by Louise Riber. It is the highest-grossing film in Zimbabwean history. The film concerns ...

'' (dir. Goodwin Mawuru, written by

Tsitsi Dangarembga Tsitsi Dangarembga (born 4 February 1959) is a Zimbabwean novelist, playwright and filmmaker. Her debut novel, ''Nervous Conditions'' (1988), which was the first to be published in English by a Black woman from Zimbabwe, was named by the BBC in ...

, 1993). Mtukudzi starred in the movie and made the soundtrack. * ''Shanda'' (dir. John and Louise Riber, 2002, rev. 2004) * ''Sarawoga'', 2009, was written by Elias C. Machemedze, directed by Watson Chidzomba and produced by Oliver Mtukudzi, who also did the soundtrack for the film. *2012 Nzou NeMhuru Mudanga DVD, the live recording of a show, a theatrical performance which Tuku had with his son just weeks before his death.

Awards

* An honorary degree from the University of Zimbabwe in December 2003 * M-Net Best Soundtrack Award in 1992, for NeriaOliver Mtukudzi:Biography, Sheer Sound
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mtukudzi, Oliver 1952 births 2019 deaths 20th-century Zimbabwean male singers Heads Up International artists People from Harare 21st-century Zimbabwean male singers Knights of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors Label Bleu artists