In a dream: Never homeless in Ladysmith

There are few South Africans who can hear the tune Homeless and not feel a tugging of the heartstrings.

For more than 50 years, Ladysmith Black Mambazo have woven the joys and pain of the South African story into music.

The success of the choral collective is literally a dream come true. Legend has it that the idea came when, while still part of another group, Joseph Shabalala had a series of dreams in which he heard a beautiful sound his group had not been able to recreate.

He was so moved by this sound that in 1964 he formed a new group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The sound that started as a dream went on to capture the attention of Paul Simon, who worked with the group to record his iconic album Graceland, which featured Homeless.

''When I listened to it on my portable tape player I knew it was going to be big. It was unique and had never been done before," says Albert Mazibuko, one of the founding members of the group.

The band went on to conquer the world, winning four Grammy awards, the latest of which came last year for best world music album. Live: Singing for Peace Around the World was dedicated to the memory of Nelson Mandela. ''We sing about the lives of those around us and that's what makes us fresh and popular," Mazibuko says. "Our isichatamiya , traditional Zulu music is now appreciated all over the world."

The success and longevity of Ladysmith Black Mambazo as well as their ability to persevere in the face of loss presents an oft repeated but interesting lesson to South Africans: That lesson is to literally follow your dreams, they may just lead you to Graceland.

The group's latest album, Always With Us, is available on iTunes.

• Ladysmith Black Mambazo will be performing with Johnny Clegg at the Old Mutual Music at the Lake concert series at the Durban Botanic Gardens on Sunday. Tickets R50-R180, www.webtickets.co.za