Simon Chimbetu Biography
Simon “Chopper” Chimbetu was a Zimbabwean Dendera Music artist, vocal, guitarist, and performer. He is considered as the father of the Dendera Music genre.
Chimbetu performed as co-lead of the band The Marxist Brothers which he formed together with his brother Naison Chimbetu. He later formed the musical group The Orchestra Dendera Kings and launched a successful solo career. Chimbetu is the father of Dendera Music artist Sulumani Chimbetu.
Simon Chimbetu Age
Chimbetu was born on 23rd September 1955 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Simon Chimbetu Family| Background
Simon was born on 23 September 1955 His father, Benson Chimbetu was a bricklayer who moved around taking on construction jobs on houses around the country. He attended Msengezi High School and was part of a group of children abducted during the liberation struggle.
Chimbetu was asked to return home because he was too young. He became part of the liberation struggle when he joined local guerrilla forces and went as far as Tanzania for training. When he returned home to Chegutu, where his father worked on a farm he was sent to Harare.
Then called Salisbury, to escape the Rhodesian army. His brother Naison later followed him and they stayed together in Dzivarasekwa. After the country’s independence, Simon took on a job at a tobacco processing company despite continuing to pursue a career in music.
Simon Chimbetu
Simon Chimbetu Musical career
Simon launched his career in the late 1970s with his brother Naison, two of them sang in bars until they were discovered by Chris Mutema who sent them to established artist Zexie Manatsa. Failing to get assistance at this stop, the two brothers sought assistance from Chris Mutema yet again.
This time they were sent to Mushandirapamwe Hotel, located in Highfield. Here they met Joseph Ngoyi and the OK Express, the resident band there. As the Chimbetu duo did not have their own instruments they sang vocals to their own songs with the OK Express acting as a backing band.
Following a rise in popularity and Joseph Ngoyi and his band being asked to leave by the hotel management, the Chimbetus were left without a band and were directed to Domboshava where they met up with The Sungura Boys.
After bringing in The Sungura Boys to Harare the Chimbetus continued to gain popularity. At this point, The Sungura Boys brought in John Chibadura to compose songs and sing for their own actions and counter the fame of the Chimbetus.
Eventually, the Sungura Boys were asked to leave and The Chimbetus formed the Marxist Brothers with help from their brothers Allan and Brian. They first saw success with the hit Nherera. The band’s first album “Mwana Wedangwe” was released in 1983.
This was followed by seven other records;”Kunjere Kunjere”(1985),”Dendera Resango” (1985),”Sarura Yako”(1987),”Kuipa Chete”(1988),”Marxist Brothers”(1989),”Boterekwa”(1989) and “Solid Gold-Greatest Hits of Early Music”(1991).
Simon Chimbetu Solo career
Simon’s solo career was launched with the release of the album “Nguva Yakaoma” in 1990. Following the disbanding of The Marxist Brothers, he formed his own band, The Orchestra Dendera Kings. His career was disrupted by his four-year prison sentence between 1990 and 1994.
During this period, two of his albums were released; “Ndouraiwa” (1992) and “Karikoga” (1993).[ Following his release from prison in 1994 he released the album “Pachipamwe”. This was followed by the albums “Survival” and “Zuva Raenda” which were released in 1997.
Subsequent efforts included “Lullaby”(1998), “African Panorama-Chapter One”(1999), “2000 Blend”(2000), “African Panorama-Chapter Two”(2001), “Takabatana”(2001) and “Hoko”(2002). The last album Simon worked on “10 Million Pounds Reward” was released in 2005.
Simon Chimbetu Personal life
Simon was married to Angela who passed on the 24th of August 2013. He had six children. In September 2013 it was reported in the weekly paper The Sunday Mail that a young man, Paddy Kamusakara claimed that Chimbetu was his father.
In 2008, a man by the name Chamu Boroma claimed to be the illegitimate son of Chimbetu which was reportedly contested by some of the Chimbetu family members. Despite this Chamu, Boroma joined the Chimbetu family onstage in a performance at a tribute concert for Simon Chimbetu.
Simon Chimbetu Death and Legacy
Simon died on the 14th of August 2005. He had complained of chest pains and feeling dizzy before collapsing at his home in Harare. He was awarded provincial hero status and buried at Chinhoyi Provincial Heroes’ Acre.
In a eulogy given by cabinet minister Webster Shamu Simon was described as a patriotic musician with Zimbabwe at heart and not a “mercenary”. Simon is credited as the father of Dendera Music. His music was viewed as a new style of Chimurenga music as he had themes centered strongly on Pan-Africanism.
Chimbetu’s musical orientation was strongly influenced by his experiences as a black person in a racially polarised Rhodesia and Marxist ideals. His children Sulumani Chimbetu and Saiwe Chimbetu also pursued careers in music.
Simon Chimbetu Albums
Work with The Marxist Brothers
- Mwana Wedangwe (1983)
- Kunjere Kunjere (1985)
- Dendera Resango (1985)
- Sarura Yako (19870
- Kuipa Chete (1988)
- Marxist Brothers (1989)
- Boterekwa (1989)
- Solid Gold-Greatest Hits of Early Music (1991)
Solo Albums
- Nguva Yakaoma (1990)
- Ndouraiwa (1992)
- Karikoga (1993)
- Pachipamwe (1994)
- Survival (1997)
- Zuva Raenda (1997)
- Lullaby (1998)
- African Panorama – Chapter One (1999)
- 2000 Blend (2000)
- African Panorama – Chapter Two (2001)
- Takabatana (2001)
- Hoko (2002)
- 10 Million Pounds Reward (2005)