On this day in 1952, the late Zimbabwean musician, Oliver Mtukudzi was born in Zimbabwe’s populous Highfield suburb, Harare. He was the first born in a family of seven siblings. Mtukudzi was from a musical family, as both his parents were singers. This meant he grew up in a musical environment where he started to develop the love of music. Mtukudzi commence his music career in 1977, singing alongside another Zimbabwean superstar, Thomas Mapfumo, in the band Wagon Wheels.
On this day in 2019,.the late Zimbabwean music legend, Oliver Mtukudzi aka Tuku died at the age of 66 after succumbing to cancer. Mtukudzi’s songs often included lyrics that were centred on societal concerns, including HIV/AIDS, alcohol abuse, as well as encouraging self-respect by making the use of Shona aphorisms. Later in his career, Mtukudzi became deeply involved in charity work and at one time he served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. To quote, ‘My role as a musician is to raise awareness and motivate wider responses to the social and economic problems that continue to deprive children of a good development’. One of his high profile performances was when he perfomed at the burial of the former Prime Minister veteran, Morgan Tsvangirai (late).