Miriam Makeba- R.I.P.

Miriam Makeba died-- onstage in Italy-- Sunday at the age of 76. Aside from being a great South African singer, she was a true citizen of the world, with 10 passports after the right-wing apartheid regime revoked her South African citizenship. Later a right-wing U.S. regime also made life hellish for her after she married Stokely Charmichael in 1968. That was right around the time when I hired her to play a concert at my school. She left the U.S. soon after.

Nelson Mandela gave her the name "Mother Africa." Her most famous song is "Pata Pata," which I made into a little DWT memorium for her. The first song of hers I ever heard though was "The Click Song," which is part of the Xosa language, she got from her father. A teacher turned me onto the music and I found out about the liberationist politics later. She was a great woman and a great musician and she will be missed.