National
Legendary musician Ray Phiri has died─── 09:50 Wed, 12 Jul 2017
Legendary South African guitarist and founder of Stimela, Ray Chikapa Phiri, has died. The 70-year-old Phiri died this morning in a Nelspruit Hospital after battling cancer.
Ray Phiri’s successful music career spans five decades. He started off as a dancer, and joined the Jabavu Queens later named the Cannibals. He went on to found Stimela and had a long career with the band, having hits like Whispers in the Deep, Zwakala (Come to Me) and Where Did We Go Wrong, among others. He was an integral part of Paul Simon’s Graceland album which won the 1987 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and he later toured with Paul Simon between 1987 and 1990. He also had a successful solo career.
In an interview earlier this month, the 70-year-old Phiri had asked for space and privacy during his sickbed. News24 reports that Phiri was scheduled to perform at the Rocking the Daisies Music Festival later this year.
OFM News/Olebogeng Motse
