UGANDA:Throw Back Thursday Featuring Elly Wamala

In today's throw back session we remember the late Elly Wamala a music legend that will forever leave on because of his legacy.

lly Wamala (1935–2004) was a Ugandan musician.On 22 August 2004, he succumbed to throat cancer at Mulago hospital. He was among the first musicians to release a recorded song and have it become a commercial hit in the 1950s when he released Nabutono. The song was so successful that it caught the attention of very many people country wide

The song became the first kadongo kamu song to be recorded on vinyl.

 After Nabutono, Wamala's next release was Josephine and it also became a hit. By the time of his death, he had over 60 songs to his name, including Nabutono produced in 1959, Viola (1974), Welcome Pope Paul (1969), Akaana Ka Kawalya (1974), and Ebinyumu Ebyaffe (1998), among others.

Wamala dropped out of school in junior secondary three and started to work at a Kampala music store. Wamala moved to Nairobi where he became a resident guitarist at a commercial recording studio, HiFi. 

In 1963, Wamala joined Uganda Television (UTV) at its inception. He worked as a producer, senior producer and later as controller of programmes. He also hosted a musical show (Saturday Night with Elly Wamala). In 1966, he studied television production at the Thompson foundation in Glasgow, Scotland. He used that opportunity to be examined by renowned guitarist George Cissily, and obtained a BMG Diploma in plectrum guitar playing, majoring in finger-board harmony. While at UTV, he took a year off [1968-69] to do a Diploma in Drama at Makerere University. With this skill, he got to appreciate language prose and poetry, an attribute that is seen in his compositions.

 Various young musicians today were chosen by Elly Wamalas family to take his music on and spread it to the young generation

"the Elly Wamala All Stars: A 10 years' Tribute"

It was undertaken by the family of the late Elly Wamala as they marked ten years after his demise.

Among the artists who were selected to redo 15 of his songs that were popular then included Jose Chameleone, Iryn Namubiru, Bobi Wine, Irene Ntale, Aziz Azion, Pastor Wilson Bugembe, Judith Babirye, Rema Namakula, Mesach Semakula, Ronald Mayinja, Nince Henry, Mowzey Radio and Weasel.

The singers were given rights to perform and record the new songs but the family was retain the copyright until 2024.

 Renowned producers Paddy Kayiwa aka Paddyman, Benon Mugumya and Kiwuwa among others were handed the production task.

The late singer’s daughter, Gertrude Wamala Karugaba said:

That the reason for doing this was to share her father’s music with younger Ugandans who did not get to hear him or see him perform. Hopefully we can get him some new fans posthumously.

 Elly Wamala's Legacy will forever live in.