Oliver Mtukudzi

Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi (22 September 1952 – 23 January 2019) was a Zimbabwean musician from Norton, Mashonaland West Province.

Arguably Zimbabwe's most revered musician, Oliver Mtukudzi and his band the Black Spirits churned out some 60 albums since the late 1970s. Mtukudzi’s musical career started at the age of 23 with the 1975 release of his debut single 'Stop After Orange'. He turned professional two years later in 1977, teaming up with Thomas Mapfumo in the famous Wagon Wheels Band and recorded the hit 'Dzandimomotera', inspired by Zimbabwe’s war of liberation. It was soon followed by Tuku's first solo album, which was also a major success.

With his husky voice, Tuku became the most recognised voice to emerge from Zimbabwe and onto the international scene and he earned a devoted following across Africa and beyond. A member of Zimbabwe's Korekore tribe, he sang in the nation's dominant Shona language, along with Ndebele and English. He incorporated elements of various musical traditions, giving his music a distinctive style, known to fans as 'Tuku Music'. The style evolved into a distinct Zimbabwean sound, incorporating traditional forms of the mbira, South African mbaqanga and the popular Zimbabwean music style called jiti.

Mtukudzi toured all over the world, performing for large audiences in the UK and North America. He also performed regularly in South Africa and Mozambique.

Photos by: David Durbach