VETERAN artiste Jerry Mparutsa yesterday revealed to NewsDay his wild partying musical career, claiming he is surviving on God’s mercy as he was once a “party animal”.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
The 63-year-old Mparutsa is the founding member of the Runn Family band alongside his brothers Peter and Mike and together they have released five albums.
“I survived just like some musicians, I was a party animal, an outgoing musician who used to go clubbing and I also loved girlfriends, but with age I started to retreat from the behaviour and I only thank God that I am still surviving,’’ he said.
“I am missing the days we used to have joint shows as it was, so entertaining. The generation was talented, with the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo, Jonah Moyo and Pengaudzoke, among others.”
Mparutsa said he was humbled to have produced one of the country’s most popular jingles between 1985-90 known as Inhapitapi chete NeSun jam and popular songs such as Ishe Komborerai President Robert Mugabe and Samora Waenda.
He is currently operating a community-based organisation specialising in creative arts development, music training, instruments making and repairing, arts consultancy and music recording.
National Arts council of Zimbabwe acting Manicaland provincial manager Alexander Tunzi described Mparutsa as a source of creative arts.
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“He [Mparutsa] is into cultural industry and a source for creative arts research, where he manufactures instruments like guitars, drum sticks and marimba including offering music data to researchers, colleges and universities,” he said.
Some musicians from Manicaland province recently joined hands and organised a birthday bash to celebrate Mparutsa’s artistry prowess, when he turned 63 last month.
They described him as one of the country’s industrious, iconic and living music legends, who have served the sector with due diligence.
