Oliver Mtukudzi

Oliver Mtukudzi

Oliver Mtukudzi is a Zimbabwean singer, songwriter and guitarist from Harare, associated with chimurenga and Zimbabwean popular music. He is born in 1952 and dies in 2019.

Early career

Mtukudzi releases his debut single, Stop After Orange, in 1975. Two years later, he performs with the Wagon Wheels, a group that also includes Thomas Mapfumo. By 1979, he leaves to begin a solo career and takes several musicians from the band with him to form the Black Spirits.

The Black Spirits release the debut single Dzandimomotera, which sells enough copies to qualify for gold record status. After Zimbabwe gains independence in 1980, Mtukudzi has his first solo successes. His debut solo album, Africa, includes the hit songs Zimbabwe and Mazongonyedze.

Film and theatre work

Alongside music, Mtukudzi works in film and drama. He appears in documentaries on Zimbabwean music, including Under African Skies and The Soul of the Mbira, and stars in Jit, the first film with an all-Zimbabwean cast. He also plays a prominent role in Neria and composes and arranges its soundtrack. This work earns him a M'Net award for Best Soundtrack of 1992.

He later writes and directs the musical production Was My Child (Plight of Street Children).

Later recordings and performances

Mtukudzi continues to tour and record with the Black Spirits or with the 12-piece supergroup Mahube. The album Mahube is released in October 1998. Tuku Music spends 11 weeks at number one on the CMJ New World Music chart. He tours the United States and Canada with Taj Mahal, Toumani Diabate and Baaba Maal as part of Africa Fête 1999. His album Paivepo reaches the top of Zimbabwe's music charts in its first week of release in November 1999.