Veteran musician babsy malangeni celebrates 82 birthday in style
By Funeka Bambalele
Legendary musician Babsy Mlangeni who celebrated his 82nd birthday this past weekend has no plans to slow down or quit music.
Born Bernard Mlangeni in 1943 in Orlando East, Soweto, the blind superstar wants to continue singing until his last day. He marked the milestone with an event that was held in Diepkloof Hall in Soweto on Sunday. Though the actual birthday was on Monday, February 24, the celebrations took place on Sunday.
The event was organized by the Siphiwe Msimango Foundation to acknowledge contribution made by Mlangeni in the music industry.
The guest of honor, Mlangeni was in attendance looking stylish and young with his family and friends. The day saw various groups including Zamambo Music Group performing to celebrate his life. Mlangeni was presented with a beautiful cake.
The multi-talented Mlangeni had an opportunity to showcase his singing talent when he performed some of his newly recorded music for the audience. After all these years, the singer still has the voice and moves too. Known as the pioneer of township soul music, he also plays guitar, harmonica, saxophone, flute, piano.
Mlangeni recalls how people in general never gave him a chance in the music industry because of his shot sighted problem. Today, he is proud to say that he is the first blind superstar in South Africa.
During his speech, Mlangeni praised his parents for giving him wings by sending him to a school in Cape Town where he learned a lot of things. As a result, the legend said he has never been a burden to anyone because he learned to do things independently.
“I lost my sight when I was just three years old. I’m grateful that my parents were not ashamed, and they never kept me at home. My parents made sure that I am empowered with education. I also want to thank my kids who are supporting and loving. I’m looking good today because of my kids and grandchildren. I have eighteen grandkids and five great grand3kids. I’m also proud that I have beautiful light-skinned children, don’t ask me how I know. People have been asking me if they are mine or not. They are mine and my wife was also beautiful.”
“I will continue to sing until I die. I know a lot of my friends like Peter Mokoena, Steve Kenana have passed on and it hurts. I’m grateful to God for this talent.”
One of her daughters said during the event; “I don’t want to lie, it took us a long time to notice that our father was blind because he did everything for us and he was present in our lives. I remember when my mother and grandmother were working, our father will be the one who is bathing us and cooking for us. We thank him for that. We further show appreciation to him for using his talent and entertain the whole South Africa. Our father is a well-known unifier in the Mlangeni family, and he also make sure we are together as his kids.”
“He tried to get us everything we want. He sent all of us to a boarding school in Swaziland during the uprisings in South Africa.”
Msimango explained: “On this day, we are celebrating your life Babu Mlangeni. You have had quite a remarkable career, spanning over decades and you touched many lives while championing the course of people with disabilities. We thank God that you are still alive and still able to play instruments while your contemporaries cannot do that. Most of the people that you started the music with together have left us and you are still alive. I’m happy that there are musicians who have offered to perform in celebrating you today.”
His friend, Bobby Mathebula who has been friends with him for 62 years said as much as Mlangeni’s eyesight is challenged they did everything together when they were growing up. Before embarking on music journey Mlangeni worked for a firm for three months and he brought in his friend Bobby.
“At some point I even forgot that Babsy was blind. We have been friends for years and hustled together. If I were to talk about him and our friendship it could take us days.”
The legendary singer further shared with the audience that he is the man who inspired artists like Jacob ‘Mpharanyana’ Radebe, Kori Moraba, Steve Kekana and the duo Willie and Paul. Growing up as a blind child was a challenge for Mlangeni. At school in Soweto other kids took an advantage of his situation splashing him with water and putting objects in his way so that he falls.
As he grew-older challenges continued as he experienced being sidelined talent scouts who overlooked him just because he was visually challenged. Since both his parents were both working in the city and couldn’t take care of him, he spent part of his childhood in Amersfoort, Eastern Transvaal, where he discovered his calling as a musician and learnt to play a homemade guitar.
His parents further took him to Athlone School of the Blind in Bellville, outside Cape Town where he became a member of the student band. It was composed of blind singers who later became known as The All-Rounders.
The All-Rounders were formed in 1962 in Mapetla, Soweto under the auspices of their leader and composer, Jimmy Mojapelo.
The original members were Babsy Mlangeni (lead singer), Koloi Lebona (guitar), Simon Falatsi (guitar/sax/vocals), Munich Sibiya (drummer), John Mothopeng (piano) and Jimmy Mojapelo (guitar/sax/flute). But they later went separate when some of them decided to become employed full-time as switchboard operators in township municipal offices.
In 1964 at the height of the sax jive craze, Mlangeni released a mbaqanga tune under Strike Vilakazi of Trutone Records. In 1967 he and Koloi Lebona decided to sing professionally. Their debut album, Coming Home (RPM, 1967), was produced by Koloi Lebon. Its single Sala Emma stormed the charts in 1968 and has since become one of the treasured South African soul classics, an evergreen and a sought-after collector’s item. The single was inspired by his wife Emma, and they had four kids.
Its crossover appeal meant that although it was sung in Sesotho, became a
In 1975 and 1976 Babsy was at the height of popularity and musical success as a top-selling artist in the country.
In both years he won the Black Music Award for the Best Male Vocalist category.
Discography
Albums
• Soul of Babsy (CCP, 1977).
• Nansi Lendoda (CCP, 1979).
• Music Was Born In Africa (CCP, 1983).
• Special Angel (CCP, 1985.
• Babsy 2001 (Zenzele Music, 2001).
• Awukho Umsebenzi (Zenzele Music, 2006).
Singles
• Sala Emma (1970).
• Bua Nnete (1972).
• Thekeni (1976).
• Hey Mr Taxi Driver (1977).
• Mapule (1979).
• Music Was Born In Africa (1983).
Additional information supplied by Jazz Life Magazine