Hugh Masekela

Artist 1939–2018

Trumpeter born in Witbank in 1939, who got his first horn through the anti-apartheid priest Trevor Huddleston and played in the Jazz Epistles before leaving South Africa after Sharpeville. "Grazing in the Grass" made him a number one hit in America in 1968, and "Bring Him Back Home" became an anthem for Nelson Mandela's release. He died in 2018.

Connections

is associated with

King Kong (1959) he played in the orchestra
Sharpeville massacre (1960) he left the country in the repression that followed

was born in

Witbank (1939)

worked with

Miriam Makeba (1964) married from 1964 to 1966, and musical partners for far longer
Hotep Idris Galeta (1967) in Masekela's band in the United States
Jonas Gwangwa from the Johannesburg scene of the 1950s onwards

was a member of

Jazz Epistles (1959) trumpet

recorded

Grazing in the Grass (1968) recorded in Hollywood in March 1968

studied at

New York City (1960) the Manhattan School of Music, after the Guildhall in London

was taught by

Trevor Huddleston he got him the trumpet and arranged tuition

wrote

Bring Him Back Home (1986) written after Mandela's smuggled letter
Soweto Blues

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