Born on this day ...

[Ruby]

Happy Birthday to Johnny Clegg, OBE, OIS (Order of Ikhamanga), who is one of South Africa’s very well loved musical sons. He was born on this day in 1953, in Lancashire, England, moved to Zimbabwe with his mother as an infant and then to South Africa at the age of seven. He is referred to often as The White Zulu due to his having embraced the Zulu music and dance culture from his early teens on. Fascinated by the rhythms, movement and culture of the Zulu nation and with every intention of pursuing a career in anthropology, which he did, to a large extent, he spent a big chunk of his youth ducking and diving the police because at that time, by associating with persons of colour, he was contravening the apartheid laws which included, among other things, a curfew. Despite all that, he always wanted to (and whenever possible did) play and perform in his own country even when under pressure from various parties not to do so; an enthusiastic champion of the people, of human rights, and of the land itself, notwithstanding shoddy treatment at the hands of the previous regime.
 
Johnny Clegg first performed with Juluka which was a partnership with his longtime friend and fellow musician Sipho Mchunu. They were constantly hounded and harassed in the early years but stood their ground and also took their music on tour internationally becoming a firm favourite in France, to the extent that Clegg received his first knighthood from that country in 1991. Both Juluka, and Savuka, which followed thereafter, were immensely popular – the audiences loving the dance as much as the music. The story goes that Michael Jackson cancelled a show in Lyon due to poor ticket sales while Savuka had sold out their own concert there at the same time. Johnny’s partner in Savuka, Dudu Zulu was killed in 1993 while attempting to mediate a taxi dispute (or war, which is a more accurate description) which was a terrible shock and loss; Johnny went on to make some solo albums, briefly reuniting with Sipho and Juluka a little later on.
 
Sadly, Johnny Clegg has pancreatic cancer and has recently completed a farewell tour which he felt he wanted to do while in remission – to pay respects to his fans. He is held in high esteem and quite rightly so. His song titled ‘Great Heart’ is a fitting description for him, I think.
 
Some best known songs …
 
"Scatterlings of Africa" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiWnHmmRIm8
 
"African Sky Blue" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HWtwNdUmjI
 
"Impi" – which has been adopted as an anthem at some sporting events – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vhWhX3ZkW8
 
"Asimbonanga" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGS7SpI7obY
 
"Hambile/The Dance" – live in Paris. Dance starts at around six minutes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO1LsbxOxXA
 
"Third World Child" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrH8pPKlhP4
 
And “The Crossing (Osiyeza)” which was written as a tribute to the fallen Dudu and which has particular poignancy –