Liberty Dube
Entertainment Correspondent
IN Mutare bars, the road to the dance floor sometimes passes through the church.
One of the unlikely guides is the late gospel artiste, Paul Phiri.
Nearly three decades after his death, Phiri’s music is still getting revellers on their feet, proving that a song can outlive its creator and travel far beyond the audience for which it was intended.
There is something fascinating about the sight – gospel hits ringing out in bars, revellers dancing to the rhythms, and the music of a man whose life was anchored in faith finding fresh expression in the city’s nightlife.
For Phiri, the frontman of the Black Saints, this is an extraordinary afterlife for a catalogue built around Christian messages and reggae-infused melodies.
And it is not merely nostalgia.
At Rozvi Gazebo in Mutare, Phiri’s nephew, Oblong, has witnessed the phenomenon first hand.
A DJ in his own right, as well as a bassist and singer with Assegai Crew, he said his uncle’s music continues to move audiences.
“I am privileged to have all his songs. People still dance to Phiri’s music, and as a DJ, I have noticed that people still love his music,” he said during an interview while playing at Rozvi Gazebo.
For Oblong, the connection runs deeper than watching revellers respond to familiar tunes. His uncle’s compositions have also influenced his own development as a musician, shaping his journey as a bassist, singer and versatile artiste.
It is a reminder that Phiri’s music is doing more than surviving. It is connecting generations, crossing musical boundaries and keeping the memory of one of Mutare’s distinctive musical talents alive.
Born in Dangamvura’s T Section, around the 1960s, Phiri discovered his passion for music at an early age.
After completing seventh grade, he chose to pursue his musical ambitions rather than continue his education at Elise Gledhill Secondary School.
He secured employment with a timber company, Kingstones, and used his first salary to buy a guitar, an investment that would help shape his future.
His sister, Febby Edith Phiri, recalled that music occupied much of his time, with her brother spending hours practicing the guitar at home and experimenting with makeshift instruments. Yet his passion for music existed alongside a deep religious conviction.
He would play his guitar as family members sang hymns from the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian traditions, laying the foundation for a musical identity that would eventually embrace gospel.
Before becoming closely associated with gospel music, Phiri had already established himself in Mutare’s live music scene.
He became part of Chikokoko, a band that performed at Dangamvura Hotel, while the Black Saints entertained audiences at venues including Dangamvura Tavern, Maoresa, Gwinyai and Little Swallow.
The period was characterised by competition among local musicians, with groups such as the RUNN Family, V50, Hosiah Chipanga, Cephas Mashakada, Assegai Crew, Band AHA and The Vibrations contributing to Mutare’s entertainment culture.
These artistes built their reputations through live performances, memorable compositions and their ability to command audiences in an era when social media and digital music streaming were non-existent.
Peter Muparutsa, leader of the RUNN Family, recalled Phiri’s exceptional talent and popularity during their younger days.
In the 1980s, Phiri became particularly popular for his interpretations of cover songs, winning audiences in Mutare and beyond. His talent eventually earned him a place in the RUNN Family, with the group travelling to destinations including Harare and Kariba.
As his musical journey progressed, Phiri increasingly became associated with gospel, bringing together spiritual messages, reggae rhythms and melodies that appealed to a broad audience. His music was distinctive, combining his religious convictions with a sound that listeners could easily embrace.
Phiri’s enduring popularity raises an interesting question about the relationship between gospel music and secular entertainment.
How does a musician whose compositions carry spiritual messages continue to command the dance floor in bars and nightclubs?
Perhaps the answer lies in his ability to create music that resonates beyond a particular audience or setting.
His gospel catalogue includes songs such as Riripo Tsime, Uya Yesu, Ndiyeuke, Izwi Radaidzirwa, Zuva Richibuda, Pasi Rino, Mwari Anopa and Tinokudza Kristo. His acclaimed album Oh Ishe featured tracks including Ziva Nemoyo, Mwari Ngoni Norupfave, Hama Yangu, Kuti Ndodaidzwa Ndiye, Mwari Wangu Samatenga and Mweya Wangu Unomuponesi.
Among his memorable compositions is Yera Yera, which continues to enjoy recognition among music lovers.
The continued popularity of his music in entertainment venues illustrates how songs can transcend their original context, connecting people through familiar melodies, rhythms and memories.
For some revellers, the music evokes memories of the golden era of live bands. For younger listeners, it offers an opportunity to discover a sound that existed long before their time.
Regardless of where it is played, Phiri’s music continues to find an audience. Phiri died in the mid-1990s after a long illness, bringing to an end a musical journey that had made him one of Mutare’s memorable artistes.
But his nephew’s experience behind the DJ decks demonstrates that his influence did not end with his death.
Oblong’s work as a bassist and singer with Assegai Crew also provides a personal connection between Phiri’s generation and contemporary musicians.
His account highlights the importance of preserving the recordings and stories of artistes who helped shape Zimbabwe’s music industry, particularly those whose contributions risk being overshadowed by newer sounds.
Phiri’s legacy could inspire renewed efforts to document Mutare’s musical history, preserve recordings and introduce younger audiences to the artistes who built the city’s entertainment culture.
For a city with a rich tradition of live music, such efforts would help ensure that the stories behind its most memorable songs are not lost. Ultimately, remembering Paul Phiri is about more than nostalgia.
It is about recognising a musician whose passion for music, spiritual convictions and distinctive compositions continue to resonate long after his passing. And perhaps the most fitting tribute is taking place far from the recording studio or church, on the dance floors of Mutare’s entertainment joints.
When a DJ plays a Phiri classic and revellers respond, his music bridges the years between the man who created it and the people who continue to enjoy it.
Paul Phiri may be gone, but when his music plays, the dance floor tells a different story.
