Meet Johnny Walker, the dancing wizard

By Kiundu Waweru

At 76 years of age, William Ngigi Kuria still turns heads on the streets. He has got what his grandsons would call ‘swag’. A dancer whose stage name is Johnny Walker, he dresses like his alter ego, everyday of his life.

Johnny Walker dresses in cowboy regalia comprising of boots, a leather jacket, and wide brimmed Stetson hat, popularly known as ‘godfather’ in Kikuyu music circles. His hands glisten from silver and golden bracelets and rings just like rappers and a Santa Claus beard.

He has spotted this look since the mid 1950’s. In 1957, he joined his half brother, the late Francis Rugwiti who founded Banana Hill Band. Johnny Walker, nicknamed by his peers after the similarly dressed guy in the scotch whiskey bottle, has kept walking, nay, dancing, in a career that started long before Independence.

William Ngigi Kuria, Prisca Nyakenya and musician Joseph Kamaru at Alliance Francaise. [PHOTOS: JONAH ONYANGO]

His look symbolises the cultural milestones that Kikuyu music has taken over the years, borrowing heavily from the Western world. And indeed, Johnny Walker has found himself in the cover of a recently-published book, Retracing Kikuyu Popular Music by Ketebul Music.

In the book, Johnny Walker’s style is traced to the 1950’s when Kikuyu music featured ‘Jimmie Rodgers imitators’ singing sorrowful country music about hardships.

And indeed to date, Kikuyu men’s repertoire of music includes country music despite much chastising by women.

And for the Kikuyu musicians, from Rugwiti to Sammy Muraya, Peter Kiggia, John De Mathew and others, the Stetson has become a trademark for Kikuyu music performers.

But Johnny Walker went the whole hog. According to DK Mwai, the popular Gatanga musician of the I Love You fame, other musicians have been trying to imitate Johnny Walker.

"He commands respect and I cannot perform without him. He also appears in all my VCDs," says DK.

Commands respect

After Rugwiti’s demise in 2001, Johnny joined DK’s stable and he has remained loyal despite other musicians insisting he joins them. His best years were the 70’s when Rugwiti was popular. They toured the whole country performing in fan filled halls.

Johnny started composing songs with his brother and DK but soon realised his calling was in dancing. He takes to the dance floor in fluid movements, seemingly boneless and featherweight as he moves to the beats, with gentle grace that could be at home in a Don Williams gig.

Last Friday, during the launch of the book and DVD titled Retracing Kikuyu Popular Music at the Alliance Francaise, Walker received wild cheers when he joined DK on stage.

Decked in white, from head to toe, revellers joined him on the floor. And he does not consider himself old. During the interview, he cited Rugwiti’s song, Gukura ni Kuru (It’s tough getting old) saying he is a long way from getting to that state.

His secret?

"Dancing of course," he says adding that not stressing yourself with small matters and also eating well.

He only takes two beers when out. In the afternoons, you will find him at the Mucatha shopping centre in Kiambu County, regaling people with tales of days gone by.

His only break from music was in 1978 to 1983 when he got a job as a driver. His other employment was in 1954, when he became a conductor on the Banana-Nairobi route. It’s then that he adopted the cowboy look borrowed from western films. "There were no cinema halls but mobile films," he remembers.

Like the musicians of his day who pioneered pop music, he fell on lean times but believes he will soon have better days.

DK is planning to tour US and says he will take Johnny Walker with him to meet people he has emulated for six decades. dancing wizard