As Kenyans continue mourn the demise of Celebrated Kikuyu benga musician Joseph Kamaru , who died on Wednesday at the MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi.
Here are some of the things you need to know about the man who carried Kenyan music on his shoulders in the 1980s.
1. He hailed from Murang’a.
Kamaru was born Kangema, Murang’a County in 1939. He moved to Nairobi in 1957 where he got a cleaning job.
He started pursuing music in 1965 but it took two years for him to get his breakthrough with his song Selina.
2. The First African to Perform at Carnivore
In the late 1980s he was the first Kenyan artist to perform at the Carnivore Restaurant, then hosting only foreign artists. According to Martin Dunford, the owner of the restaurant, Kamaru’s vibrant performance, Kamaru’s vibrant performance opened the doors for other Kenyan artists to perform at the venue.
3. He toured Japan with Moi
In 1980, Kamaru toured Japan as part of President Moi’s entourage. It should be remembered that the musician later became one of Moi’s biggest critics during the fight for multi-partism.
4. He turned from Secular to Gospel
We have witnessed several secular musicians getting saved in recent times but perhaps Kamaru was the first one to turn and start singing gospel music. This happened in 1993. He disbanded his previous group, Kamau super sounds in the process.
5. He has more than 200 songs
I don’t think there’s any other Kenyan musician with more songs than Joseph Kamaru. He has more than 200 songs and is estimated to have sold more than half a million recordings. That is quite something. His hits include Tiga Kuhenia Igoti and Uthoni Wa Mbathini among others.
6. He had four children.
The musician has left behind four children, three sons and one daughter. Weirdly though is the fact that he has two sons named Macharia Kamaru. The others are Maina Kamaru and Wanjiru Kamaru.
According to his son, the legendary musician was suffering from Parkinson Disease. He has been in and out of hospital for the most part of this year.