Biography

One of the leading Afrikaans musical voices against Apartheid during the 1980’s, Johannes Kerkorrel was part of a generational movement that rebelled against authority and found its voice through music.In fact Kerkorrel was one of the first white Afrikaans singers who got completely accepted by the media and public. Kerkorrel was a multi-talented artist-a journalist,singer-songwriter,playwright and activist. Born Ralph Rabie in 1960,Kerkorrel began his professional life as a journalist,but by '86 had performed his first live gig in Cape Town. These first performances were satirical and political cabarets. After moving back to JHB in '87 he started working with Andre Letoit (Koos Kombuis).They first performed as a duo,then a group of musicians joined them on stage and the band "Johannes Kerkorrel en die Gereformeerde Blues Band" (GBB) was born.Kerkorrel’s controversial reinvention of Afrikaans popular music became known as the "Voëlvry movement" that referred to itself as a democratic and non-racist collective. Kerkorrel released 8 albums and won three SAMA’s;1995 for Best Pop Performance,1996 for Best Male Vocalist,1997 Afrikaans Performance before his untimely death by suicide in 2002. Subsequent to his death the album Perels Voor die Swyne was released in 2004.Johannes Kerkorrel was a revolutionary,an iconic and talented artist, a passionate and yet ironic activist and above all a South African son. His music defined a generation, and his legacy has not been forgotten.