South African musician and activist Johnny Clegg has passed at the age of 66, his manager has shared on Facebook.
Born in England in 1953, Johnny Clegg moved to South Africa at just six years old, where he quickly took an interest in the local music scene.
Forming his first band – Juluka – at just 17, Clegg’s outspoken criticisms of Apartheid and social injustices found a home within his music, and by 1986, he had formed the critically-acclaimed Savuka with Zulu musician and dancer Dudu Zulu.
In addition to his musical output, Johnny Clegg also found himself as something of an academic, lecturing at universities, studying anthropology, and receiving honorary doctorates in numerous fields.
Sadly, Clegg’s manager has taken to Facebook today to reveal that the revered musician and activist has passed away at the age of 66.
“It is with immense sadness that we confirm that Jonathan (Johnny) Clegg, OBE OIS succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 66 on the afternoon of 16 July 2019 at his family home in Johannesburg, South Africa,” longtime manager Roddy Quinn wrote on Facebook earlier today.
“Johnny leaves deep foot prints in the hearts of every person that considers him/herself to be an African. He showed us what it was to assimilate to and embrace other cultures without losing your identity.
“An anthropologist that used his music to speak to every person. With his unique style of music he traversed cultural barriers like few others. In many of us he awakened awareness.”
Having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer back in 2015, Johnny Clegg made it a priority to embark on the tour that he dubbed ‘The Final Journey’, performing in countries around the world.
Clegg is survived by his wife of 31 years, Jenny, and their two sons Jesse and Jaron.
Check out ‘Scatterlings Of Africa’ by Johnny Clegg:
