Tsepo Tshola
| Tsepo Tshola | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | August 18, 1953 |
| Died | July 15, 2021 (aged 67) Teyateyaneng, Berea Lesotho |
| Cause of death | Covid-19 |
| Known for | Being a jazz musician |
Tsepo Tshola was a South African jazz musician born in Lesotho. Using the moniker, The Village Pope, Tshola released classics including Madambadamba and Ho Lokile.
Background
Tsepo Tshola's parents were musicians with Lesotho Vertical 8.[1]
Children
Tshola had two sons; Kamogelo and Katlego who are both singers.[1]
Wife
Tsepo Tshola's wife died in 1991 and he never remarried.[1]
Career
He joined the teen boy band The Lesotho Blue Diamonds as a vocalist in 1970. Tshola then left The Lesotho Blue Diamonds and joined The Anti-Antics and later Uhuru. At Uhuru, the late Nana Coyote used to sing with them. When he left Uhuru, Tsepo Tshola joined Sankomota.
Between Sankomota and Uhuru, Tsepo joined Hugh Masekela for a world tour. After the tour, Tsepo Tshola met Julian Bahula, a South African musician based in London. Tshola did not want to return to South Africa. So he spoke to Julian and he organised air tickets to London for the rest of the Sankomota band members who were in South Africa at the time. Tshola convinced them to come and join him in the UK. Sankomota relocated to London from 1985 to 1989. The group toured the whole of Europe and at one point we toured Germany playing ANC gigs for no pay.
Sankomota returned to South Africa and together with Bayethe joined Hugh Masekela’s The Sekunjalo Tour after Hugh himself had returned from exile. That spelt the demise of Sankomota. Tshepo struck out as a solo recording artist. Using the moniker, The Village Pope, he went on to write a whole slew of classics including Madambadamba and Ho Lokile.[1]
Albums
- The Village Pope (1994)
- A New Dawn (2002)
- Lesedi (2003)
- Winding Rivers And Waterfalls (2005)
- Reconciliation (2009)
- Let's Hold Hands (2009)
- Ask Me (2010)
- Nothing Can Beat The Truth (2010)
Death
Tsepo Tshola died on 15 July 2021 due to Covid-19 complications aged 67.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 At home with...Tshepo Tshola, DRUM, Published: December 25, 2014, Retrieved: July 15, 2021
- ↑ Renowned musician Tsepo Tshola dies of Covid-19 complications, SowetanLive, Published: July 15, 2021, Retrieved: July 15, 2021
