Celebrities pay tribute to Johnny Clegg
Updated | By Tamlyn Canham
Thank you for your beautiful music. South Africa's biggest stars celebrate music icon Johnny Clegg with beautiful tributes.
A towering giant has fallen with the passing of legendary singer-songwriter and anthropologist, Johnny Clegg.
That's how arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa remembered the music icon after news of his death broke.
The 66-year-old died on Tuesday after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer.
The 'Impi' singer was diagnosed in 2015. He announced in April 2017 that he would be retiring from music but not before putting on a final show - his farewell tour.
Several local artists, including his son Jesse Clegg, joined him on stage for his final shows.
"As I’m planning this, I’m living in a parallel universe with my condition. My chemo kind of carries me through until January and after that, it’s no man’s land. So I want to do as much as I can now and put all these things to bed,” he told TshisaLIVE in a September 2017 interview.
South Africans say Johnny Clegg was a "national treasure" and deserves a state funeral.
ALSO READ: SA, world remembers music icon Johnny Clegg
A towering giant has fallen with the passing of legendary Singer-songwriter & Anthropologist Johnny Clegg. Our hearts are sore & as he famously sang in Asimbonanga "oh the sea is cold & the sky is grey" as we contend with the loss of a torchbearer of our struggle for freedom. pic.twitter.com/35RGuWGn02
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) July 16, 2019
Johnny leaves behind his wife Jenny and sons, Jesse and Jaron.
He praised his son Jesse in one of his final tweets in late 2018.
"27 years ago I wrote a song for my son @Jesse_Clegg in 2017, he came to me and said, “Dad, I wrote a song for you." The song turned into a duo. Here is the video for "I’VE BEEN LOOKING," he tweeted.
27 years ago I wrote a song for my son @Jesse_Clegg in 2017, he came to me and said, “Dad, I wrote a song for you." The song turned into a duo. Here is the video for "I’VE BEEN LOOKING." Watch the video & listen to the album here: https://t.co/CRAvcjhLHs pic.twitter.com/k1IlhKAXtW
— Johnny Clegg (@JohnnyCleggReal) November 1, 2018
I am speechless thank you so much! This is an amazing moment for me - to have so many of my peers acknowledge the song and its sentiments, and that they can use that to further something much bigger than all of us. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/CdoUp45VMI
— Johnny Clegg (@JohnnyCleggReal) December 6, 2018
Last year, 50 musicians, using the name Friends of Johnny Clegg, came together to record a special version of Johnny's classic, 'The Crossing'.
Proceedings from the single were given to The Click Foundation to help improve education literacy in underprivileged primary schools.
Karen Zoid, who featured on the single, paid tribute to Johnny in a lengthy post on Facebook.
"To me he was also a guiding light. A star. To me he was also a sound mind. A hero. To me he was also a humble musician, a friend who visited me at my house and rode bicycles with me on the promenade. All morning long this past December we pretended to be in a bike gang. The best day ever!" she wrote.
JUST RELEASED MINUTES AGO- Undeniably one of my highlights this year. A tribute to our hero ❤️@JohnnyCleggReal @KahnMorbee @somizi @zolanimahola @Netwerk24 @huisgenoot @judith_sephuma @RossLearmonth @Channel24 @MNet @kykNETtv @jacarandafm https://t.co/1WkyfWxbgc
— karen zoid (@karenzoid) December 5, 2018
Several other stars also took to social media to remember Johnny.
"We stand on the shoulders of giants," Danny K captioned a picture with Johnny, Hugh Masekela, and other SA musicians.
Arno Carstens wrote: "Thank you for your beautiful music that became part of my DNA."
ALSO READ: East Coast Radio Presenters bid farewell to music legend Johnny Clegg
Lekker slaap Johnny. 😭 pic.twitter.com/InsYowRxHO
— karen zoid (@karenzoid) July 16, 2019
RIP Johnny Clegg ❤️🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/05yLLokqgF
— #QueenSono (@PearlThusi) July 16, 2019
Profoundly heartbreaking to receive the news of the untimely passing of music icon and anti-apartheid activist Johnny Clegg #RIPJohnnyClegg pic.twitter.com/AADBnYvl5x
— Prof Thuli Madonsela (@ThuliMadonsela3) July 16, 2019
Thankyou for your beautiful music that became part of my DNA. #RIPJohnnyClegg pic.twitter.com/GGT78KbvRw
— Arno Carstens (@ArnoCarstens) July 16, 2019
We stand on the shoulders of giants. #RIPJohnnyClegg 🙏🏼🇿🇦😢 pic.twitter.com/58ijXw9ELm
— Danny K (@dannykmusic) July 17, 2019
My favorite Johnny Clegg jam. Rest In Peace. 🙏🏼 https://t.co/4gaZV4MYic
— AKA (@akaworldwide) July 16, 2019
Farewell great white Zulu. #RIPJohnnyClegg 😢 pic.twitter.com/CTr1GUrZhg
— 𝕯𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖊𝖓 𝕸𝖆𝖚𝖑𝖊 (@thedarrenmaule) July 16, 2019
Rip to the Legend Johnny clegg 🙏🏽 thank you for your major contribution to our industry 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/Oj7D8Squro
— #16 (@L_Tido) July 16, 2019
SGC is devastated at the passing of Johnny Clegg. An music icon and a true South African. We shall miss him with all our hearts. Rest In Peace pic.twitter.com/I9ZDPH6FqH
— Soweto Gospel Choir (@Sowetogospel) July 16, 2019
R.I.P Johnny Clegg 😢💔🇿🇦 #Legend #JohnnyClegg #RIP pic.twitter.com/yKDIbBq98n
— DavidKau (@davidkau1) July 16, 2019
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