Gallo Music Publishers is proud to announce a deal to publish the Tuku Music catalogue of songs for world renown Zimbabwean musician, songwriter, the “golden voice” Oliver Mtukudzi.
Gallo Music’s General Manager Rob Cowling says “We are overjoyed to sign Tuku Music to a publishing deal. After such a longstanding relationship, beginning with its roots at Sheer Sound (owned by Gallo Music since 2014) representing Oliver Mtukudzi’s recordings and digital sales feels like coming full circle. This is an amazing fit in bringing the song publishing copyrights together with the recordings to further open doors into Africa and globally expand Tuku’s reach and message through his music and lyrics, and to breathe new life into these amazing songs through opportunities in film, tv, and advertising”.
The human rights activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Southern Africa passed away on 23 January 2019 at age 66, ending a career spanning over four decades and 67 albums!
The catalogue of songs written by Oliver, fondly known as “Tuku”, include hits like Todii, Wasakara, Neria, Ndakuvara, Hear Me Lord, Tozeza, Zimbabwe, Psss Psss Hallo, Munoshusha, Street Kid, Kunze Kwadoka and many, many more.
His songs touched the hearts of those around him and were often ways for Tuku to address issues in society and people’s everyday life struggles. He graced the cover of Time Magazine in 2003 titled “The Peoples Voice” in a story about how Zimbabwean musicians were singing for change.
He always gave back to the community, put on live shows and helped younger musicians by producing duets with them, or taught them about making music and nurturing them at his arts centre, Pakare Paye, in Norton, outside Harare.
He also worked with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Hugh Masekela on collaborations.
Mtukudzi’s daughter, Samantha Mtukudzi, had this to add :
We at Tuku Music are absolutely thrilled to announce our recent Publishing deal with Gallo Music Publishers. It fills our hearts with immense pride to have Gallo representing dad’s compositions and the wealth of incredible songs he created. With this new collaboration we feel like we have found the perfect match to bring together bigger publishing opportunities. We cannot express how excited we are for this new chapter and look forward to what the future holds for Tuku Music and Gallo Music. “Eheka! My Dear Friends”.