AFTER retiring from Highlanders Football Club, the late Tymon Mabaleka soon transferred to a secondary modern facility which catered for his obsession with music.
EZRA TSHISA SIBANDA OWN CORRESPONDENT
He was able to continue doubling in two things he loved most, football and music.
At the twilight of his career Mabaleka was called up to the national team several times and finally hung up his boots in 1982 when he transferred to Harare to continue working for music company Gallo Records before it changed names to Zimbabwe Music Corporation and finally merging with Gramma Records.
He became one of the directors of the company working alongside Ralph Glover, late Elvis Chimene and Silvanos Mutizwa.
The Bulawayo branch had the late Elijah Ngwenya and Abel Jonga.
This made his company the biggest single music recording and production firm in the country.
The Whitehorse produced one of Matabeleland’s most recognised and adorable musicians, the legendary Lovemore Majaivana with albums like S’timela Segoli, Salanini Zinini, Sono Sami to name a few.
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He produced classic hits like Kuleliyani’zwe, Dabuka Mhlaba, Inyoni Bani Engelamathambo, S’timela, Mkhwenyana, Bambulele uMajola and many more captivating Majaivana songs.
Mabaleka produced the late Solomon S’kuza’s Love and Scandals album and many more Skuza’s hits.
He also produced Ebony Sheikh’s Emhlabeni Kunzima, Shepherd Chinyani and the Vhuka Boys’ Mai Vakakosha, Mugove by Leonard Zhakata, the late John Chibadura’s collections, The Essentials, James Chimombe albums, Kassongo Band’s Bana Kassongo and the Zimbabwe People’s Band’s Wale Walio, among others.
He worked and produced some of Zimbabwe superstar Oliver Mtukudzi top hits and Ilanga, among others.
He was Zimbabwe’s Quincy Jones of music. Whatever he produced turned to gold and will remain one of the best revered music producers of our generation.
Mabaleka will be buried at Lady Stanely Cemetery in Bulawayo today.
