Joseph Kamaru facts for kids

Joseph Kamaru (born 1939 – died 3 October 2018) was a famous Kenyan musician and activist. He was well-known for his Benga and gospel songs. Kamaru was a very important Kikuyu musician. He sold about half a million records during his career.

He was known for writing songs about politics. Sometimes his songs praised the government, and sometimes they shared his concerns. His music also taught about life and important parts of Kenyan culture. Joseph Kamaru was friends with President Jomo Kenyatta for a while. However, their friendship ended after Kamaru wrote a song about the death of Josiah Mwangi Kariuki. Later, he also wrote songs that praised President Daniel arap Moi.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Joseph Kamaru grew up in Kangema, which is in Muranga District. In 1957, he moved to the big city of Nairobi. There, he found a job as a house helper and nanny. He earned enough money to buy his very first guitar. This was a big step for him. He started making music in 1965.

Kamaru's Music Career

Kamaru became famous in 1967 with his song Celina. His music career was very successful between 1975 and 1985. During this time, he released many popular songs. These songs often shared traditional Kikuyu folk stories and teachings.

In the late 1980s, Kamaru made history. He was the first Kenyan artist to perform at the Carnivore Restaurant. Before him, only international artists played there. The owner, Martin Dunford, said Kamaru's amazing show opened doors. It allowed many other Kenyan artists to perform at the venue too.

Music and Politics

Many of Kamaru's songs talked about politics. He sometimes praised the government and sometimes shared his thoughts on its actions. At first, he had a good relationship with President Jomo Kenyatta. But in 1975, Kamaru wrote a song about the death of Josiah Mwangi Kariuki. After this, his friendship with President Kenyatta changed.

After Kenyatta passed away, the next president, Daniel arap Moi, became close to Kamaru. In 1980, Kamaru even went to Japan with President Moi. After that trip, he wrote a song called Safari ya Japan (Journey to Japan) praising the president. However, President Moi later became unhappy with Kamaru. This was because Kamaru supported the idea of multiparty democracy. This meant he wanted more than one political party to be allowed in the country.

Impact and Popular Songs

Kamaru got a lot of help from a radio presenter named Job Isaac Mwamto. Job worked at the Voice of Kenya radio station. He played Kamaru's music, which helped many people hear his songs. People often called Kamaru "Kenya's Jim Reeves". This was a compliment, comparing him to a famous American singer.

Kamaru recorded almost 2,000 songs. His songs often talked about good behavior and shared life lessons. These songs made him a legend in Kikuyu music. They also had a big impact on the music scene across East Africa. Some of his classic hits include "Gathoni" and "Charia Ungi". Other popular songs were "muhiki wa mikosi" and "muti uyu mukuona".

Turning to Gospel Music

In the 1990s, Kamaru announced a big change in his life. He said he had become "born again." This meant he would no longer perform his old secular music. In 1993, he started making gospel music instead. He also ended his old music group, the Kamaru Supersounds. This change caused his record sales to go down.

Kamaru was once the leader of the Kenya Association of Phonographic Industries (KAPI). He also had a church ministry in Nairobi. He owned two record stores in Nairobi as well. Kamaru hoped to build a Kikuyu cultural center on one of his farms. He wanted to protect and share the Kikuyu culture. Sadly, he passed away in October 2018 before he could finish this project.

Illness and Passing

In April 2018, there were rumors that Kamaru had died. But he confirmed in an interview that he was healthy. He said, "God could not take me until I oversaw changes in the music industry and mentor upcoming musicians to get the best songs for their audiences and in return get a better pay."

Joseph Kamaru passed away on 3 October 2018. He was 79 years old. He died at a hospital in Nairobi due to problems from Parkinson's disease. He is remembered by his two siblings, one daughter, and three sons. His grandson, also named Joseph Kamaru, is a musician and sound designer known as KMRU. He lives in Berlin.