Pastor Gugu Zulu’s Music Background:
I started realising the gift of song when I was at least 15 years old after I got saved and accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior at the age of twelve years and I started singing in Sunday School. I started as Zion congregant from childhood and after the service I would run home and change from the church uniform and run to AGCI reason being I liked their way of singing because they started their services at two o clock. This happened for a while until I was recognised for my persistence and was given a chance to be part of the singing young as I was at the time. We got a chance to sing solo items in the church and I used that opportunity, I started singing using the guitar.
One day I was called to come and render an item and that particular day the was full to capacity and I started singing in the middle of the song I started crying and I couldn’t finish and thought I was in the Spirit but the truth is it was stage fright and nothing else. As the years went by I started learning to play the organ I only learnt G# as key I used every time I played regardless of what key the singing person is using until Pastor Mahamba who was pastor at the time encouraged to be the one who starts playing before they sing to avoid discord, so that went on until I improved in catching all keys and nobody was teaching but I can safely say the Spirit of God was guiding me. As the years went by I now became a lead singer and play at the same time in the Church Choir from the age of 18 years at Apostolic Gospel Church International.
I ended up becoming the organist of the church and every revival that came to East Rand of any denomination I was called to play the keyboard . I continued to sing even at school during morning assembly and the SCM services where I got to know the late Vuyo Mokoena whom we ended up singing duets during SCM’s.
My relationship with Vuyo grew until we ended up singing in one group called Sweet Melody which sang Imbube music and because I was a strictly a Gospel singer I ended up leaving the group to form the Aqua Vitae Gospel group (Male Voice group) where we were invited in Weddings, revivals, Conferences as guest singers. As time went on I became one of the pioneers of a non denominational community choir called Petra Gospel Choir which was a concept meant to identify talent and put it into good use and we had a privilege to travel around the country singing attending seminars where Margaret Motsage became a member and we sang together until she left for Joyous Celebration.
In 2001 I recorded the church’s album The AGCI district Choir and we were invited to London UK at Croydon to attend a launch of Revelation TV station for two weeks where we got a chance to record live a few of our tracks from the album inside the studio and it went well and because of church politics the project never continued.
I am married with Nombulelo and God blessed us with four boys Kholisile, Sihle, Xolane and Junior. We got married ten years ago in September 24 on Heritage day that was the best day of my life.
During my singing career I had a priviledge of sharing a stage with legends like Pastor Benjamin Dube and has made friends with Sipho Makhabane the Big Fish, Steven Molakeng, Kekeletso Phoofolo and many more and got to meet the likes of Jabu Hlongwane.
The singing continued until I met Sir William from London who fell in love with my singing and insisted I should record my own album though it seem like it took me a long time to do my own project but I realise now that God’s timing is unquestionable and perfect where I’m concerned . I’m glad that it happens now because if it was earlier maybe I wouldn’t be where I am now in terms of personal engagements which I strongly feel that was saving me for such a time as this and I considered after three years of meeting with him.
Last year in 2008 September I started recording my project at Bionic Studios which will be launched on 7th March 2009 at 18h00 at Rabasotho Hall in Tembisa. Last year the very month of September me and my wife started a ministry called Tehillah Praise Ministries which we are pasturing and is growing in a big way. God Bless.
Contact:
Tel: (011) 391-6719 Cell: 082 726 3695; 084 607 0070
E-mail: guguzulu@rocketmail.com