Pastor’s son who defied odds for secular music

By NANJINIA WAMUSWA

Francis Arthur Were discovered his music talent while in Standard Three. However, at the age of nine, he found himself in a tight spot after his father denied him opportunity to venture into music.

 At this time, many people considered music a wayward activity and therefore, many parents denied their children associating with it. Were’s situation was made worse owing to the fact that his father was not only a pastor but also a local administrator. As a pastor’s child he had to remain clean at all cost.

 “My father threatened to strangle me if I disobeyed his directive. This meant I sat on my talent till further notice,” he recalls.

 Despite all threats, he could still manage to sneak at night to join others in staging live performances.  One day in 1972, his father discovered his stratagems and secretly traced him to an entertainment venue. He confiscated music equipment, including guitars and drums, and burned all of them.

 He says, “I briefly quit music after realising I was causing trouble for my friends. However, I promised I would one day get the freedom to record music.”

 He indeed got the freedom to record at 40 after his father lost interest in those pursuing music. Born in1958, Were, flanked by a group of six people, formed Orchestra Wanga Stars Band in 1998, and released an eight-track-debut album, Dola, about an old man who misused his benefits after retiring on traveling and entertaining concubines.

 The second album, Tsikholo Tsia Abaluhya, was recorded in 2005, highlighting the importance of a community working together. These two albums became popular and briefly threw the six members into instant celebrities. Money also started coming their way.

Sharing money

 Unfortunately members started rivalling how to share the money. When things got worse Were decamped the group and joined others in forming another band, Wanga Kings International.

With a new band he recorded other albums such as Kilimo, I Need Your Love, Migingo, Serious Lover and Songa Mbele. He recorded latest album is Am Very Sorry. He’s also partnered with several musicians in recording music. Among them John Mutali who they jointly recorded Ndamenya Eshiholo (I live in Eshiholo), describing their rural home.

 In total Were has led in releasing 23 albums and over 250 songs. He believes his music is genetic because one of his uncles, Were Mbata was feted litungu player who graced various social functions. Were is the bandleader, plays bass and rhythm guitar, writes and composes songs and lead vocalist. He records in English, Kiswahili, Luo, Luhya and Lingala. Born in Musanda, Mumias District, he attended Musanda Primary School and later joined Jamhuri High School until 1978, when he immediately got employed by Kenya Power and Lighting Company because he was a star in soccer.

Former teammates

 He says, “I joined Kenya Power as soccer player but later got connection to play for Abaluhya Football Club (AFC) from 1978 to 1987.”

 He recalls teammates like Tony Lidonde, Francis Kadenge, Francis Siranga, among others, being coached by Tanzanian, Dunia Dilunga. After AFC, he briefly played for Mvuke Stima, a Kenya Power’s soccer team before quitting completely in early 90s. He says he juggled music, employment and family affairs well.

He doesn’t regret starting music late in life. He believes it was God’s timing, which is of course the best. He wants to establish recording studio back in his Musanda rural home and start nurturing talents by helping the inspiring singers to record.

 He’s also grooming young talents and even sponsoring them to record own music. One of the beneficiaries is Grace Nyangi who has just launched her debut album, Mchungaji. He’s optimistic the current Government would help local artistes by fighting piracy.