The most notable awards and accolades Masekela racked up over his career

His musical influence comes from watching the film Young Man with a Horn at age 14. The film inspired Masekela to start playing the trumpet.

Many years of Masekela’s musical career coincided with apartheid. Masekela reacted to the country’s plight by making his music a symbol of struggle, conflict, anger and sorrow during this time.

After the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, Masekela left South Africa to study the trumpet, attending London’s Guildhall School of Music, as well as the Manhattan School of Music in New York.

With such recognised influences and experiences, Masekela’s music was awarded countless times.

Hugh Masekela with Miriam Makeba and Paul Simon in 1987

Here are some of his most notable successes:

Nominated for a Grammy Award in 1968 for Best Contemporary Pop Performance – instrumental.

Nominated for Broadway’s 1988 Tony Award for Best Score for Sarafina

International Award of the Year in 2002 at the BBC Radio Jazz Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 at Channel O Music Video Awards

2007 African Music Legend award at the Ghana Music Awards

Nominated for a Grammy Award in 2010 for his album Jabulani in the Best World Music Category

Received the Order of Ikhamanga (a South African honour, awarded by the President of South Africa) at the 2010 South African National Orders Ceremony

Awarded Honorary Doctorate in Music at the University of York in 2014

Awarded a Doctor of Music at Rhodes University in 2015

Masekela also founded Musicians and Artists Assistance Programme of South Africa (MAAPSA) in 1998. This comes after Masekela admitting to his battles with substance abuse. The nonprofit organisation assists and provides counselling for many artists, and boasts a 70% successful recovery rate.

Sources: Artlink, SA History

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