30 Facts About Hugh Masekela

Hugh Ramapolo Masekela was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz".

Hugh Masekela had a number-one US pop hit in 1968 with his version of "Grazing in the Grass".

Hugh Ramapolo Masekela was born in the township of KwaGuqa in Witbank, South Africa, to Thomas Selena Masekela, who was a health inspector and sculptor and his wife, Pauline Bowers Masekela, a social worker.

Hugh Masekela's younger sister Barbara Masekela is a poet, educator and ANC activist.

At the age of 14, after seeing the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn, Hugh Masekela took up playing the trumpet.

From 1954, Hugh Masekela played music that closely reflected his life experience.

Hugh Masekela was an artist who in his music vividly portrayed the struggles and sorrows, as well as the joys and passions of his country.

Hugh Masekela's music protested about apartheid, slavery, government; the hardships individuals were living.

Hugh Masekela reached a large population that felt oppressed due to the country's situation.

Hugh Masekela was helped by Trevor Huddleston and international friends such as Yehudi Menuhin and John Dankworth, who got him admitted into London's Guildhall School of Music in 1960.

In 1964, Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela were married, divorcing two years later.

Hugh Masekela had hits in the US with the pop jazz tunes "Up, Up and Away" and the number-one smash "Grazing in the Grass", which sold four million copies.

Hugh Masekela played primarily in jazz ensembles, with guest appearances on recordings by the Byrds and Paul Simon.

In 1984, Hugh Masekela released the album Techno Bush; from that album, a single entitled "Don't Go Lose It Baby" peaked at number two for two weeks on the dance charts.

In 1985 Hugh Masekela founded the Botswana International School of Music, which held its first workshop in Gaborone in that year.

Hugh Masekela taught the jazz course at the first workshop, and performed at the final concert.

Also in the 1980s, Hugh Masekela toured with Paul Simon in support of Simon's album Graceland, which featured other South African artists such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Miriam Makeba, Ray Phiri, and other elements of the band Kalahari, which was co-founded by guitarist Banjo Mosele and which backed Hugh Masekela in the 1980s.

In 2004, he released his autobiography, Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela, co-authored with journalist D Michael Cheers, which detailed Masekela's struggles against apartheid in his homeland, as well as his personal struggles with alcoholism from the late 1970s to the 1990s.

Hugh Masekela provided interpretations of songs composed by Jorge Ben, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caiphus Semenya, Jonas Gwangwa, Dorothy Masuka, and Fela Kuti.

In 2010, Hugh Masekela was featured, with his son Selema Hugh Masekela, in a series of videos on ESPN.

On 3 December 2013, Hugh Masekela guested with the Dave Matthews Band in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Hugh Masekela joined Rashawn Ross on trumpet for "Proudest Monkey" and "Grazing in the Grass".

Hugh Masekela was involved in several social initiatives, and served as a director on the board of the Lunchbox Fund, a non-profit organization that provides a daily meal to students of township schools in Soweto.

From 1964 to 1966 Hugh Masekela was married to singer and activist Miriam Makeba.

Hugh Masekela had subsequent marriages to Chris Calloway, Jabu Mbatha, and Elinam Cofie.

Hugh Masekela was the father of American television host Sal Masekela.

Poet, educator, and activist Barbara Hugh Masekela is his younger sister.

Hugh Masekela died in Johannesburg on the early morning of 23 January 2018 from prostate cancer, aged 78.

Hugh Masekela was honoured with a Google Doodle on 4 April 2019, which would have been his 80th birthday.

The Doodle depicts Hugh Masekela, dressed in colourful shirt, playing a flugelhorn in front of a banner.