Hallelujah Chicken Run Band
The band was an early pioneer of a style of music called chimurenga, from the Shona word for “struggle.”[1] The band was founded by trumpet player Daram Katanga in order to perform for workers at Mhangura copper mine.[3] They initially started playing the more common Afro-Rock styles of the period, but gained an increased following when they shifted their sound to include electric arrangements with traditional Shona music.[4] In 1974 they won a national music competition organized by the South African label Teal that would solidify their growing popularity.[4][5] The sound they pioneered would eventually be called Chimurenga and was adopted by other bands of the 70s and 80s.Singer Thomas Mapfumo had a successful music career in the 80s and would go on to bring Chimurenga around the world.