Photo: davidata / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Johnny Clegg was born on June 7, 1953 in Bacup, United Kingdom and was credited as an anthropologist, singer-songwriter and guitarist. Death is recorded on July 16, 2019, at the age of 66. Education on record includes University of the Witwatersrand. Recorded honors include Order of Ikhamanga in Silver (2012), Officer of the Order of the British Empire (2015) and honorary doctor of the University of the Witwatersrand (2007). Credited works include Asimbonanga and Scatterlings.
My Take
Johnny Clegg is the rare artist whose biography is itself an argument. A British-born anthropologist who immersed himself in Zulu culture and formed racially mixed bands during apartheid, he made music that doubled as defiance. 'Asimbonanga' is not just a beautiful song; it is a prayer that politics could not silence. Holding both an OBE and South African honors signals how thoroughly he bridged worlds others kept apart. What moves me is the union of scholar's mind, dancer's body, and singer's heart in one person. He died in 2019, but his songs still do the quiet work of connecting people.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Johnny Clegg
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョニー・クレッグ
- Reading
- じょにー・くれっぐ
- Born
- June 7, 1953 – July 16, 2019
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Snake
- Origin
- Bacup, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- anthropologist / singer-songwriter / guitarist / dancer / musician
2. Background
- University
- University of the Witwatersrand
Awards & achievements
- 2012 Order of Ikhamanga in Silver
- 2015 Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- 2007 honorary doctor of the University of the Witwatersrand
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Asimbonanga | — | |
| Notable work | Scatterlings | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.johnnyclegg.com
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny%20Clegg
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q561596
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Johnny Clegg born?
Born June 7, 1953.
When did Johnny Clegg die?
Died July 16, 2019, aged 66.
Where was Johnny Clegg from?
Johnny Clegg was from Bacup, United Kingdom.
What did Johnny Clegg do?
Johnny Clegg worked as anthropologist, singer-songwriter, guitarist, dancer, musician.
What was Johnny Clegg known for?
Notable works include Asimbonanga, Scatterlings.
Anthropologist — see all → · Singer-songwriter — see all → · More people from the United Kingdom →