Advertisement
Former Ladysmith Black Mambazo singer Ben Shabalala was shot and killed in Durban, South Africa, on June 16th. Shabalala was the brother of the a capella group's founder Joseph Shabalala and started singing with Ladysmith Black Mambazo in the late Seventies, doing duty with the group until 1993 when he left to start a private business.
Shabalala was a member of the group when they were picked by Paul Simon to provide backing vocals for his classic, Grammy-winning album Graceland in 1986. The group's recordings had seen little distribution in the U.S. until Simon produced 1987's Shaka Zulu (also a Grammy winner), which raised Ladysmith's profile. The group continues to record and tour, releasing Raise Your Spirit Higher: Wenyukela earlier this year.
The circumstances surrounding Shabalala's slaying are unknown, but police are still investigating.