Biography
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Born
27 March 1960
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Born In
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
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Died
12 November 2002 (aged 42)
Johannes Kerkorrel was born as Ralph Rabie in 1960. He was a South African journalist and later a singer who publicly attacked the Apartheid system in his country.
In 1987, Johannes Kerkorrel was fired by Rapport newspaper for using quotes from PW Botha's speeches in his music; he then became a full-time musician and performer under the name Johannes Kerkorrel en die Gereformeerde Blues Band (Johannes Kerkorrel and the Reformed Blues Band), a deliberate reference to the Reformed Church. The band also included the Afrikaans singer-songwriter Koos Kombuis. Their brand of new Afrikaans music was dubbed 'Alternatiewe Afrikaans' (alternative Afrikaans) and exposed divergent political views to a new generation of Afrikaners.
Kerkorrel was the only white singer who performed at the inauguration of South Africa's first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela.
He pased away on 11 December 2002. The South African singer songwriter Valiant Swart wrote the song "Sonvanger" dedicated to the artist with Kerkorrel's mother Anne in mind, longing for her lost son.
Kerkorrel was popular in his own country as well as in Belgium.
–Discography–
Eet Kreef! (1989)
Bloudruk (1992)
Cyanide in the Beefcake (1994)
Ge-trans-for-meer (1996)
Tien Jaar Later (1998)
Sing Koos du Plessis (1999)
Die Ander Kant (2000)
Voëlvry Die Toer (2002)
Kerkorrel – Best Of: Pêrels Voor Die Swyne (2003)
Hoe Ek Voel (2012) – issued to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of Rabie's death
After Rabie's death, several artists recorded tribute songs to his life and work. An incomplete list follows:
Stef Bos – Pelgrimsrus
Riku Lätti – Ysbeer
Amanda Strydom – Ek Het Gedroom
Karen Zoid – Foto Teen Die Muur
Jak De Priester – Kerkorrel
Kristoe Strauss – Sit Dit Self Af
Jan Blohm – Johnny K
Valiant Swart - Sonvanger
Valiant Swart en Koos Kombuis – Kleinmond Koebaai
Koos Kombuis - Johnny is nie dood nie
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