Simon Chimbetu
| Simon Chimbetu | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Simon Chopper Chimbetu |
| Also known as | Chopper Mr. Viscose |
| Born |
23 September 1955 Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Origin | Manicaland |
| Died | 14 August 2005 (aged 49) Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Genres | Sungura |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, bandleader |
| Instruments | Singing, Rhythm guitar, |
| Years active | 1975–2005 |
| Labels | Gramma Records |
| Associated acts | Oliver Mtukudzi, Allan Chimbetu, Orchestra Dendera Kings |
Simon Chimbetu (23 September 1955 – 14 August 2005) was a Zimbabwean guitarist, vocalist and composer. He was the founding member of his band Orchestra Dendera Kings. He was known by many stage names, including "Chopper, "Mr Viscose" (before imprisonment), "Cellular", "Simomo" and "Mukoma Sam".
Chimbetu was born in the Musengezi area of Mbire District in Mashonaland Province of Zimbabwe, on 23 September 1955. His ancestral origins were of the Samanyika tribe in Manicaland Province, the eastern region of Zimbabwe, bordering with Mozambique. His father was a bricklayer and Simon regularly accompanied his father on his business errands. He attended the local Musengezi High School before trekking to Harare(then Salisbury) to look for employment.
Chimbetu got involved in the fledgling liberation struggle and at one point went as far as Tanzania after joining the ZANU PF movement forces training there. Although he did not go to the front, Simon provided morale through his music. He returned to Zimbabwe before 1980. Chimbetu's musical orientation is strongly influenced by his experiences as a black person in racially polarised Rhodesia and a liberation fighter with Marxist ideals at first.
Chimbetu worked for a tobacco processing company for many years after the attainment of political freedom in 1980. His passion for music did not wane. Rather, he regularly played at Mushandirapamwe Hotel in Highfield, a high-density suburb in Harare. At this point he was backed by John Chibadura's Sungura Boys as he did not have his own instruments. His younger brother, Naison backed him and together they performed as Marxist Brothers because of the then prevailing political ideology which had also shaped Simon's war experiences. Together, the siblings penned songs like "Dr Nero"(Naison) and "Nherera"(Simon) which gave them visibility on the Zimbabwean music scene. After recording several albums together, the two split in 1988 with Simon forming his own band, The Orchestra Dendera Kings while Naison formed his Gee(Great) 7 Commandos. It was after splitting with Naison that Simon recorded the hit album Nguva Yakaoma(Hard Times).
The album carried hits such as "Spare Wheel", the soulful "Samatenga", "Pasi Rapinduka", and others. "Samatenga" stayed at the number one spot for a long time; it was somewhat prophetic in that the suffering it describes was mirrored in Simon's own life soon after when he was arrested for theft/receiving stolen property. Although he pleaded his innocence, he was found guilty and incarcerated at Khami Prison in Bulawayo.
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