| Tsepo Tshola | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Tsepo Tshola |
| Also known as | The Village Pope |
| Born | August 15, 1953 |
| Died | July 15, 2021 (aged 67) |
| Genres | Afro jazz |
| Years active | 1970–2021 |
Tsepo Tshola (1953-2021) was a Lesotho-born jazz musician. [1] He was a member of the Afro-jazz fusion band Sankomota as a songwriter and lead singer. [2]
Tsepo Tsola was born on 15 August 1953 in Teyateyaneng, Lesotho. [3] His father was a minister and this gave him an interest in and connection to religious music, and later Sesotho music. In the late 1970s, Tsola formed a band called Uhuru which later changed its name to Sankomota. [4]
Under the moniker "The Village Pope", Tsola released his debut album in 2002 and titled it New Dawn. He went on to release several more, notably Lesedi and The Village Pope. Tsola has performed in many countries overseas and collaborated with South African musicians such as Jub-Jub and Casper Nyovest. [5] [6]
In his later years, Tsepo Tshola performed gospel music and worked with artists such as Dr Rebecca Malope. He won many awards including the Metro FM Lifetime Achievement Award and the YoMzansi Lifetime achievement award. [7] Tsola died on 15 July 2021 of complications related to Covid-19, passing away in Lesotho. [8] [9] In 2018 Tsepo Tshola was honoured with a Commander of the Most Loyal Order of Ramatšeatsana award by His Majesty King Letsie III. [10]
In the early 2000s, Tsepo Tshola went public about his drug addiction. [11] [12] He Tshola had two sons, Kamohelo and Katleho who are both singers .His wife died in 1991 and he never remarried.