Nana Coyote dies

Stimela lead vocalist Nana Coyote passed away at the Helen Joseph hospital, Johannesburg. He was 55.

Nana was born Daniel Motijoane in Lesotho in 1955, he grew up in Sharpeville. Music was always running through his veins as even whilst in school at Makabelane high school in Qwaqwa, he started a band with schoolmates and that was the beginning of his musical career.

He later joined the group “The Black Five" in Sharpeville, and for 10 years they performed around the country.

In 1980, at the height of political unrest , Motijoane went into exile in Lesotho where he joined the group Uhuru (now Sankomota). He returned to rejoin The Black Five and in 1984, headed for Johannesburg seeking to further his professional music career.

He later met Ray Phiri and together they formed Stimela, one of the country's oldest and most popular groups.

In 2002, Motijoane was signed to Joe Nina's Kisanji Entertainment, and in August 2003, released his debut solo album, Majaja.

Coyote is best known for a classic song he did with Steve Kekana 'Take your love'.

At the time of his death, Stimela were working on a new album which will be released soon.