Forere Motloheloa

Forere Motloheloa (1945–2021) was a legendary accordionist and songwriter from Lesotho.

He was born in 1945 in the Matšekha area of the Berea district, Lesotho. Like many Basotho musicians of his era, Motloheloa’s musical journey was shaped by his time as a migrant laborer. He worked in the coal mines of the Free State, South Africa (near Vereeniging), where he honed his skills playing the accordion in shebeens (informal taverns).

In the late 1960s, he co-founded Tau ea Matšekha ("The Lion of Matšekha") with vocalist and composer Apollo Ntabanyane. They are credited with being among the first Famo artists to achieve major commercial recording success, transitioning the genre from the mining compounds to a national Basotho sound.

Motloheloa gained international recognition through his contribution to Paul Simon’s 1986 Grammy-winning album, Graceland.

Also he is the co-writer and the distinctive accordionist on the album's opening track. The song's iconic, driving riff was adapted from his own composition, "Ke Ikhethetse E Motle."

He passed away on the 8th February 2021 at the age of 74.