We were glad to hear of plans for a festival to recognize Oliver Mtukudzi. Mtukudzi sang brave lyrics during the war that inspired a rebellion. After independence, he sang compelling lyrics in songs like “Jerry,” “Ngoma Nehosho,” “Chimusoro” and “Nyanga ye Nzou.
” He had a convincing voice and persona. Sadly, his career later bordered on bankruptcy. His career really took off, in the mid 1990s, when he composed the song “Neria” for a movie that was then renamed “Neria” featuring Jesesi Mungoshi.
The movie and the song were successful. The legacy of the movie, in which he also acted, was to change inheritance laws but sadly not attitudes. Mtukudzi married Melody in the 1970s.
They had Sandra and Selmor. They divorced and Mtukudzi married Daisy. They had Samantha and Sam, as well as Faith a stepchild.
Melody would claim, when Mtukudzi died, that she left him because she would not accept a polygamous relationship. When Mtukudzi was bankrupt, Melody raised the two girls. She worked in a bank.
Mtukudzi had other kids, called Sybil and Selby. Daisy has claimed a single-handed role in building the Tuku empire in the media. Ostensibly, this refers to the unprecedented global boom and commercial success Mtukudzi enjoyed from 1998.
One factor has been grossly underplayed: Debbie Metcalfe, one of the best managers ever. She rebranded Mtukudzi and arranged production with producers like Steve Dyer who gave the ‘Tuku’ brand a new lease of life. Mtukudzi groomed .
