The late musician and radio personality, Hilton Mambo, who died on Monday morning, will be buried today at Glen Forest Cemetery.
Mambo succumbed to hernia at Avenues Clinic where he had been admitted for two weeks.
His daughter Catherine said the talented presenter will be laid to rest Wednesday at 2pm.
Hundreds of people that attended his funeral at his home in Hatfield expressed their grief at the loss of a multi-talented artist.
Among them were musicians and DJs that worked with Mambo in various projects.
The popular husky-voiced DJ rose to fame on local radio through jazz music and educational programmes and he was one of the most sought-after masters of ceremony.
Clerk of Parliament, Austin Zvoma, who was a jazz musician of note and worked with Mambo on a number of projects, described him as a humble brother who was always there when needed.
“He was like my younger brother. Just after school he was one of the few guys who were instrumental is the formation of our union of township jazz musicians that catered for upcoming jazz musicians.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“Most of the township jazz musicians that came from Mbare rose through this union and this was a great contribution indeed. Some of his products are still active in music. He was indeed a talented vocalist and an artist who was unique in his own way. We will miss him dearly and may his soul rest in peace,” said Zvoma.
Veteran radio and television presenter Admire Taderera, who worked with Mambo at Radio 3 (now Power FM), said he owed a lot to the late artist.
“This is devastating loss to the arts and entertainment industry. We have been robbed of a talented man. I joined Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation in 1981 and he was already working there. He was one of the experienced broadcasters I looked up to. He mentored me in many ways,” said Taderera.
In his last days, Mambo had a jazz slot at SFM and Ronald “DJ D-Train” Chiwanza would take up the programme when the former was away.
“Since he came from UK and returned on radio, we clicked easily because I am one of the ‘young’ DJs who played his type of music and we had a number of projects together. He was a great man and he would advise me to take his slot when he had other commitments. “We were very close and I watched him battle with the ailment in his last days. It is a painful loss,” said D-Train.
Born in 1951, Mambo was bred in the capital’s Mbare Township where he attended Harare Secondary School.
He at one point worked as a recording engineer who did projects with Zimbabwe’s greatest music giants including Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Zexie Manatsa, Simon Chimbetu and Crispen Mathema.
Mambo cut his teeth in music with the likes of Clancy Mbirimi and David Ndoro in the early ‘70s and then played with several bands in that period including Boyke Moore’s Soul and Blues Union.
At the time of his death, he was concentrating on playing in clubs and would also have slots on radio.
He is survived by his wife, Eleanor, four children — Catherine, Devon, Hilton (Jr) and Caryn, and six grandchildren.
