There’s a song to be sung: critical reflections on the music and influence of Johnny Clegg
Posted: March 13th, 2018 | Filed under: Calls for Papers | Comments Off on There’s a song to be sung: critical reflections on the music and influence of Johnny CleggCall for chapters
Proposal submission: 30 April 2018
Full chapters due: 31 January 2019
Introduction
As Johnny Clegg closes a chapter on his music career with his ‘The final journey’ concert tour (2017-2018), it is an appropriate and long overdue moment to reflect analytically on his musical career.
As a South African musician, anthropologist, ethnomusicologist and cultural activist, Clegg has had a significant impact on the South African musical landscape. His career which began with long-time friend Sipho Mchunu in the 1970s has spanned 5 decades and involved success with Juluka, Savuka and as a solo artist, both in South African and internationally. During the apartheid era he experienced police harassment and broadcast censorship and became overtly involved in South African cultural politics, being instrumental in the formation of South African Musicians Alliance. He became embroiled in debates around the cultural boycott. Academically, Clegg has an honours degree in Anthropology and lectured in Anthropology for four years before turning to music full time. During this time and since he has presented and published academic papers with a particular focus on Zulu music, dance and culture.
The proposed volume on Johnny Clegg’s career hopes to explore these different avenues of Clegg’s life and influence.
Possible topics:
These may include but are not confined to:
- Analysis of specific songs, albums or themes across albums
- Consideration of any stage of Clegg’s career
- An analysis of Clegg’s academic writing
- Clegg’s success in France or other countries
- Clegg and the cultural boycott
- Clegg’s negotiation of apartheid laws
- Clegg’s relationship with Zulu culture
- Clegg and the South African Musicians Alliance
Please send 250-500 word proposals and a brief author biography to Michael Drewett [email protected]