Oliver Mtukudzi

Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi (22 September 1952 – 23 January 2019) was a Zimbabwean musician, businessman, philanthropist, human rights activist, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the Southern Africa Region.

Career

Mtukudzi grew up in Highfield, a suburb of Salisbury (now Harare) in what was then Southern Rhodesia. He started his music career in 1977 with the band Wagon Wheels, which included guitarist James Chimombe and other musicians. The group got a rare break from Paul Tangi Mhova Mkondo, an African nationalist and music promoter, who gave them money and resources.

He let them play at Club Mutanga (Pungwe), the only nightclub open to Black people under Rhodesia's segregation laws. Their single "Dzandimomotera" went gold, and Mtukudzi's first album was also a major success. He also contributed to Mahube, a Southern African supergroup.

Known for his husky voice, Mtukudzi became the most recognisable Zimbabwean voice internationally, building a devoted following across Africa and beyond. He was a member of the KoreKore group, with Nzou Samanyanga as his totem, and sang in Shona, Ndebele, and English.

He mixed different musical traditions into a style fans called Tuku Music. He toured widely, including in the UK, US, and Canada, playing for large crowds. In 2017, he performed at the wedding of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo.

Social commentary

Before Zimbabwe's independence, his music focused on the struggles under white minority rule. After independence, his songs promoted tolerance and peace, often highlighting the hardships of women and children.

Personal life and death

Mtukudzi had six children with four different women, and three grandchildren. His son Sam, also a successful musician, died in a car crash in March 2010.

In 2013, Mtukudzi released the album "Sarawoga" as a tribute to him. His daughter Selmor is also a musician and works with UNICEF. Mtukudzi died on 23 January 2019 at age 66 at Avenues Clinic in Harare, after a long battle with diabetes.

His discography includes dozens of albums, singles, and compilations, starting with "Ndipeiwo Zano" in 1978 and ending with "hany'a" in 2018. He also contributed to world music compilations. The album "Sarawoga" reflects on the losses he endured, leaving him "alone" in a sense, as the title suggests.

Mtukudzi appeared in several films: "Jit" (1990), "Neria" (1993, for which he also made the soundtrack), "Shanda" (2002, rev.