Veteran sixties benga maestro Gabriel Omolo is dead.
The late Omolo,80, died at dawn in Busia Referral Hospital where he was undergoing treatment after a long illness.
Born in in 1939, the Kenyan composer, singer and guitarist famed for the hit song Lunch Time pelted out tunes in his unmistakable, persuasive, legendary voice to his adoring benga lovers for over four decades.
He was raised in the railway quarters of Muthurwa and attended St Peter Claver Primary School. His star started to shine in the 1960s when he joined Equator Sound Band alongside other legendary icons Daudi Kabaka and Fadhili Williams.
In 1974 he became the first Kenyan musician ever to be awarded an International Golden Disc for the sales of his hit single, Lunchtime.
Omollo was then awarded a Golden Disk Award again in 1976 for the sale of over 250,000 records.
His Apollo Komesha band recorded over 20 singles for Phonogram.
