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Obituary

Black

Mambazo

Leader

passes

on: Joseph Shabalala, Leader of renown South Africa Acapella group leader on stage

ack in the 1980s few would have in factories, Shabalala began singing Simon’s career and he toured the world
Bpredicted that a Zulu vocal choir in choirs and vocal groups. In 1960 with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, then
would break out of apartheid South he formed a choir and they began produced their 1987 album Shaka Zulu
Africa to win a vast international singing isicathamiya music – the Zulu on Warner Brothers. This album won
audience, but Ladysmith Black acapella tradition – at local weddings the choir the first of their five Grammy
Mambazo achieved just this. The choir’s and entering competitions. By 1964
leader, Joseph Shabalala, who has died Shabalala’s choir was considered the awards and they quickly became
aged 78, knew that his legacy would best in the region and, after a series of internationally famous – appearing in
live on: Ladysmith Black Mambazo dreams, he came upon the name of Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker film,
have continued to tour the world since Ladysmith Black Mambazo. accompanying Nelson Mandela to
Shabalala retired six years ago and four The choir, who performed athletic Oslo when he was presented with the
of his sons are members of the current Nobel Peace Prize, singing with Dolly
ensemble. dance moves as they sang, gained great Parton, appearing on the soundtrack of
popularity among Zulus and, as word The Lion King and providing the vocal
Ladysmith Black Mambazo first spread, they began attracting interest accompaniment to a series of Heinz
achieved international attention when from white South Africans. Signed baked beans TV advertisements in the
the American singer and songwriter Paul to Gallo Records in 1972, their debut UK (which helped to sell more than
Simon employed them on his hugely album Amabutho achieved gold sales – 100,000 copies of a compilation CD).
successful 1986 album Graceland and the first black South African artists ever
subsequent world tour. Paradoxically, to achieve such. Over the decades Shabalala softened
because Simon visited South Africa Such was Ladysmith’s success the the choir’s sound, ensuring they sang
to meet Shabalala (and other African apartheid government sent them to West in English rather than isiZulu, yet
musicians) – so breaking the cultural Germany in 1981 and 1982 to perform always ensuring they delivered superb
boycott – he faced vocal criticism from at folk music festivals. Paul Simon, upon performances.
anti-apartheid campaigners. Shabalala hearing tapes of South African Zulu As well as success and acclaim, he
himself said that, by breaking the music in 1984, felt inspired to travel to experienced tragedy: two of his brothers
boycott, Simon had helped black South Johannesburg. There he met the local and another choir member were
Africans in their struggle.
musicians and, via a series of loose murdered and, in 2002, he was wounded
Joseph Shabalala was born Bhekizizwe rehearsals, began developing the songs and his wife of 30 years was killed outside
Joseph Siphatimandla Mxoveni that would become Graceland. their home by a masked gunman. His
Mshengu Bigboy Shabalala, the eldest of Simon was especially impressed by son Nkosinathi was charged with
Joseph and Namandla’s eight children. Shabalala, who flew to London to orchestrating the murder but acquitted.
He grew up on a farm outside the town of participate in Graceland’s recording
Ladysmith (in the province of KwaZulu- sessions, and received publishing credits Shabalala recovered from the shooting
Natal). His father’s death when he was 12 on two of its songs (“Diamonds on the and continued to lead Ladysmith Black
forced Shabalala to leave school and go Soles of Her Shoes” and “Homeless”). Mambazo as a recording and touring
to work on the farm. choir until in 2014 he announced his
Graceland’s phenomenal success (selling retirement. His son Thamsanqa took
Shifting to Durban in 1958 to work over leadership.
some 16 million copies) rejuvenated

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