Fifty and still flourishing — Lady Smith Black Mambazo
February 18th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
It was 50 years ago that Joseph Shabalala put together a group of vocalists, mostly his family members and friends, and began entering singing contests.
As the legend goes, the group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, won them all.
The South African vocal pop group has been spreading a message of joy and peace since forming five decades ago. In tomorrow’s (Feb. 19) cover story, we chat about the group with vocalist Peter Mazibuko, who joined Ladysmith in 1969, leaving a job in an asbestos-making factory in his native country behind.
The group was a local success, but didn’t make a splash internationally until Paul Simon decided to feature them on his 1986 album “Graceland,” which was a No. 1 seller in several countries.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform Saturday at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville as part of the group’s 50th anniversary tour. Tickets are $28.50-$45.50 and are available through the venue’s Web site.