AS I celebrate my 56th birthday in the same year of the production of my 56th album, I pay special tribute to my fans across the world, the corporate sector for the invaluable support and all the friends of Tuku Music for making things ever possible including my family for being there for me always.

I value and cherish you forever on this my 56th birthday — September 22.

It was a year of rigorous international travels performing across the world, recording and producing music as usual.

But above all I thank God for giving me the gift of life and all these years to work and live.

 TukuMusic.com

HAPPY 56: Legendary Zimbabwean singer Oliver Mtukudzi celebrates his 56th birthday on September 22, 2008

Ahead of his 56th birthday on September 22, Oliver Mutukudzi drops a note for his fans around the world:

By Oliver Mtukudzi

My music — all of it to the latest 56th album — have come from life, from the daily human experiences . . . love, pain, pleasure, hate, ubantu, restraint, tolerance, violence, war, peace!

In this journey of life I have continued deriving endless inspiration from the people and adapting into song — with a great sense of humility — the emotions of society.

Happy emotions and sad emotions have culminated into my music — fragile emotions too.

As there will be people, there will always be something to talk about. And as there will be something to talk about, there will be something to sing about always.

I will continue singing, reflecting life and its many faces.

Music embodying life experiences will continue with unstoppable gusto.

As long as man fails to respect man, I will sing. As long as man fails to respect oneself, I will sing too. And as long as man fails to respect God, I will sing again.

I will sing about anything if that will make the world around us a better place.

With the daily hardships and the eroded incomes music has not been spared the ravages of poor economies as ours.

But we strive to fight on and help make things better every day for our children. We must never give up.

The year for my projects such as the Pakare Paye Arts Centre (in Norton) — which is particularly close to my heart as it seeks to develop young artistes — has not been particularly good in the general business sense but artistically we are happy we have progressed well and have a lot to show for it.

Several young artistes have come through the academy, recording and performing, some of them getting the highest opportunity for exposure by supporting major box office shows.

I take pride in the youngsters and how they are determined to be tomorrow’s leaders in music. These are the champions of the future.

Apart from music the centre has gone full steam ahead with its cultural initiative of drama and poetry based on vernacular novels and targeting the junior pupils.

At the same time the centre has continued offering resources and providing instructors to lead the young talent in areas such as music compositions, sound and lighting, drumming, guitar work, stage and film acting, script writing and story telling.

The centre has also been central in the production of my latest feature film Ndichirimudiki, which was this September entered in the Zimbabwe International Film Festival.

Many indoor and outdoor shows by top artistes from the cities have been staged at the centre too.

We take pride in great humility at Pakare Paye Arts Centre for changing forever the entertainment landscape of Norton town and are privileged to be part of this community.

I love you all. May God bless you. — TukuMusic.com