By Princess of Harare, Princess Eugene Majuru
One of Zimbabwe former top radio Three Disc Jockeys Dennis Wilson passed away in Harare on Tuesday. Wilson died aged 66 at his home in Alexandra Park, Harare after a short illness.
One of Wilson’s close friends Jean Koto who spoke to News of The South from Penhalonga said:
“Dennis was always in a jovial mood and was always there to give support and advice when you are down. He always asked me to send him gogoyas and green bananas. He loved those. When Shaba Ranks came to Zim in the 90s I was one person who had the privilege to attend through Dennis Wilson though it ended prematurely.” “I would say he was one person who I enjoyed his company. He made me love all types of reggae music and would always be locked in on every single show. Am deeply saddened by his death and he died a lonely person. Such is life. added Koto a one time Radio Three (Power FM) fan.
Jean Koto
DJ for Love Innocent Manase another former Radio Three Disc Jockey and Station Manager who also presented the reggae session spoke to News of The South from Harare. Manase said:
“Deepest condolences on the passing on of Dennis “Shabba” Wilson. I worked with him for several years from the late 80s to the early 90s when his was a well defined role of flavouring the station with reggae vibes, an art he performed with excellence, building multitudes of followers over the years. Personally I have lost a colleague, friend and brother who I can describe as a jolly good fella, fun to be around, witty and a very amusing person”.
“After his departure from the station, former Misty in Roots drummer Munya Brown took over the reins before he subsequently handed over the same baton to me, alongside others like Rebel Soul Jah and Crucial D. Today, current talent in the likes of Smiley, Mercilless Zimbabwe and others keep the vibes alive.
Rest in peace , Dennis. You were and will always be a shining star” added Manase.
Innocent Manase – DJ For Love (Former radio Three DJ)
Lucky Karomborombo a former Radio Three Fan said :
“Top flight DJ Dennis Wilson has passed on,The reggae session dj on the then Radio 3 now power fm has left a void that wont be replaced.
The disc jockey Wilson used to let us glued to the radio listening to his reggae sessions every Monday and Saturday from 8-10pm will be remembered for the spin of jams that he could let flow whilst our fingures where on the tape recording buttons coping the good tunes to the blank tapes that we would play the whole week waiting for the new selection. I am so saddened with the bad news, may his soul rest in eternal peace”.
Lucky Karomborombo (former Radio Three fan)
Leeds, UK based Zimbabwean music promoter Taurai Cheteni who knew Wilson and worked with him had this to say :
“For me Dennis is the one who made me love reggae music the way I do. I can remember I started knowing about Dennis way back in 1987 when I was at a boarding school, Sandringham and me and my friends will be imitating his jingles he used to play in between songs on his reggae sessions on Thursdays and Saturdays to be specific. The jingles had some strong patois and we found it fascinating”.
“Those were special programs on Radio 3 and I remember every time he is getting on , one minute before his slot we will be sitting in front of radio cassette players with record button pressed then just play with the pause button trying to capture those sweet reggae songs and then tomorrow you will be talking about and playing the recording right through. Remember there was no internet those days and Dennis was our conduit of bringing reggae music from overseas to us in Zimbabwe and even the news and stories about what’s going on in the reggae industry we would hear them from Dennis shows. The kind of reggae he was playing, then digital music, couldn’t be found in our local record shops so Dennis was the main man. Dennis was a jewel to the reggae fraternity in Zim”.
Cheteni described how glad he was to see Dennis Wilson physically when he was the MC at the Zimbabwe Reggae Sunsplash in 1989 at National Sports Stadium featuring Culture, Eric Donaldson and I Jahman Levi.
“When Dennis Wilson left Zim for UK in the early 90s he sold his records and magazines and I spent a bit chunk of my pay as an apprentice buying records and magazines like Reggae Report off him. I didn’t get a chance to meet him here in UK but later heard he went back to his loveable ‘home’ Zimbabwe to stay. What a Son of The Soil, he made repatriation a reality not just a chant. REST IN POWER SON OF THE SOIL. This one bright morning your works are over and you have flown away to Zion” said an emotional Cheteni.
Taurai Cheteni second from left with the reggae group Culture which he ended up promoting in UK due to Dennis Wilson’s influence
Former Morgan High student and Economist based in Victoria Falls Nevison Bara had this to say:
“It is with profound sorrow that I got to hear of the sad demise of Mr Dennis Wilson. For some of us his reggae programme on ZBC’s then Radio 3 now PowerFM was one to look forward to. It livened us up from the stresses of studying. Mr Wilson brought Jamaica into our ghetto. Sad indeed”
Nevison Bara
Dennis Wilson had fallen in love with Zimbabwe in the early days he visited Zimbabwe, his family insisted they move back to UK but he did not like it. He moved to UK from Jamaica at the age of 13 and grew up there. He then moved to Zimbabwe where he worked for Tel One as a Technician and doing part time radio. His wife would go back to UK more often till she insisted they move back but his love for Zim made him come back and he divorced his wife. Wilson got married to Maureen and had a son but they divorced again. He had 4 sons Dean, Damian, Daren and the son with Maurene. He has a daughter named Yvonne.
Comments
About Author
