Happy birthday, Miriam Makeba!
Miriam Zenzi Makeba was born in Johannesburg in 1932. Her mother was a Swazi sangoma and her father, who died when she was six, was a Xhosa. Her professional career began in the 1950s with the Manhattan Brothers, before she formed her own group, The Skylarks, singing a blend of jazz and traditional melodies of South Africa.
In 1959, she performed in the musical King Kong alongside Hugh Masekela, her future husband. Though she was a successful recording artist, she was only receiving a few dollars for each recording session and no provisional royalties, and was keen to go to the US. Her break came when she starred in the anti-Apartheid documentary Come Back, Africa in 1959. When the Italian government invited her to the premier of the film at the Venice Film Festival, she decided not to return home. Her South African passport was revoked shortly afterwards.
Makeba then travelled to London where she met Harry Belafonte, who assisted her in gaining entry to and fame in the United States. She released many of her most famous hits there including Pata Pata, The Click Song (Qongqothwane in Xhosa), and Malaika. In 1966, Makeba received the Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording together with Harry Belafonte for An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba. The album dealt with the political plight of black South Africans under Apartheid
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What I personally remember of Miriam is the voice, and the way she was beloved. My folks listened to her at the same time as they listened to Jim Reeves (go figure), and the two form the basis of my pre-teen musical heritage, together with my mother singing around her chores, around her cooking, singing Sesotho traditional songs or Miriam’s Xhosa songs: The Click Song, or Khawuleza. Beautiful woman. Happy birthday to her.
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Thanks for a lovely tribute to Mama Africa. Anyone who ever had the privilege of watching her live will never forget. I saw her in London at an open air concert back in the mid 80s – Highbury Fields – the good ole days!
A few years ago I remember doing a research project about the music of apartheid and really no discussion of the music of apartheid is complete without the Queen herself, Miriam Makeba.
From “Soweto Blues” to “Pata Pata” and she even re-did one of our own Kenyan songs, “Malaika”. Nothing but love and should she happen to read this:
Happy birthday Queen Makeba
I remember dancing to the beat of Pata Pata as a little girl growing up in Panama.It was later on I found out the singer was Miriam Makeba. I also read her autobiography. I think she is just awesome. I love to see and hear her singing “God Bless Africa”,I google often on “you tube”.All of these things contribute to the beauty of life on this majestic earth.
Saludos.