Gospel Trumpet poised to blow again

Tafadzwa Zimoyo

Senior Arts Reporter

Who still remembers the hit songs “Rose of Sharon”, “Makomborero” and “Usatityire” by Gospel Trumpet, which once dominated the local Christian world?

Gospel Trumpet was more like a Mutemererwa family musical group made up of brothers Stanlic and Edgar and their sisters Sarah Lillian and Doreen.

Some of the group members then relocated to the United Kingdom for greener pastures and although they continued with music, they could  not match their yesteryear glory.

Gospel Trumpet was one of the earliest gospel musical outfits to fill up the Harare International Conference Centre.

The group did that during their concert with supporting acts such as Sipho Makhabane from South Africa, Pastor Haisa and Baba Manyeruke.

The group was popular on television in the late 1990s and early 2000s as they did jingles for ZBCTV, especially working with Lever Brothers.

Last week, The Herald Arts met up with one of the founder members of Gospel Trumpet, Stanlic Mutemererwa, who was in the country attending the funeral of his late mother Piwai Clara Mutemererwa, who died after a long illness.

Now based in the United Kingdom, Stanlic said music was in the DNA of the Mutemererwa family.

“Music is a lifestyle to me, because I write, compose, play, sing and produce,” he said.

“It has always given me confidence. Ever since I became an artist, since 1989, my life was under the spotlight. Music is an art and I have won on most platforms using my style of music.”

Stanlic revealed that the group was set to reunite and release an album.

He said they were doing it for their late mother who inspired them  to win a Zim babwe Achievers Awards (ZAA) to take on music.

“I am reuniting with my brother Edgar and other Gospel Trumpet crew after a long break. We came here for the funeral of late mum.

“I am the fourth in a family of six. My late mum was a teacher and my dad was a headmaster. They have both been church elders for so many years. I grew up under a strict Christian environment in Triangle in the Lowveld.”

Stanlic said not many people knew that his upbringing was complicated.

“At the age of about two years, I was unwell and some say I actually died at one moment,” he said.

I am told my late grandparents Peter Kupara and Sarah Mutemererwa prayed for me. They say I then rose from the dead. I am a miracle child.

“In 1987, I went to Dadaya High School in Zvishavane for my secondary education. It was when my elder brother Willard Nhau Mutemererwa taught me how to play the instruments such as guitars and drums in church.

“He taught me how to write and compose music. I became a celebrity at school because I used to perform in the chapel playing the organ and singing in church. I was exempted from doing manual duties, so that I could spend time perfecting my musical talent, in addition to that I was moved from Form III accommodation to Upper VIth accommodation.”

Stanlic said in 1997, together with his brother Edgar and his sisters, Sarah, Lilllian and Doreen they recorded an album at High Density Studios in Harare.

“The studio was owned by the late Prince Tendai Mupfurutsa. Chance Mbirimi was the engineer. I did all the instruments on the Cubase programme using the musical keyboard.

“Together with my young brother Edgar Stephen, I composed, wrote, played and produced the all-time hit song ‘Rose of Sharon’ and also the hymn ‘Tirivawadzani’ led by Doreen Rhoda Mutemererwa.

“The video was filmed and produced by Rufaro Maringapasi and Remmington Mbeya of ZTV production.”

The group later worked with Clancy Mbirimi and Kelly Rusike and they produced hit songs like “Makomborero” and “Usatityire” at the Shed Studios.

Stanlic said their next project was coming out next month.“We are releasing new music after a long break,” he said. “It will be on the market soon. We did most of the recordings in London, UK.

“Currently in the UK, I am a church pastor in AFMIM-UK. I have often availed a platform for Zimbabwe musicians who come to the UK to perform at our church AFMIM-UK. My desire is always to promote and assist artistes in every way possible.”