Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert was a solidarity concert for the South African politician Nelson Mandela. It was on the occasion of Mandela's 70th birthday on June 11, 1988 held at Wembley Stadium in London.
The initiator of the concert was Jerry Dammers The Specials singer, who had repeatedly called for the release of Mandela and also had the Freedom Beat Festival organized two years earlier.
At the concert was attended by 72,000 visitors and it was broadcast in 60 countries. Some artists such as Tracy Chapman could imagine the first time a large audience. The cast included not only well-known musicians from the UK and the USA performers from South Africa and other parts of Africa.
Background
Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for his opposition to apartheid in South Africa in June 1964. The concert was part of a worldwide campaign of solidarity with Mandela. On February 11, 1990, 20 months later, Mandela was released from prison.
Others
Mandela's 70th birthday took place on July 18, 1988, approximately five weeks after the concert.
Contributors
- Daddy Freddy
- Simple Minds
- Meat Loaf
- Little Steven
- Bee Gees
- Salt'N'Pepa
- Mahlathini and The Mahotella Queens
- Eurythmics
- Farafina
- Grupo Experimental de Dansa
- Fry & Laurie
- Aswad
- Dire Straits featuring Eric Clapton
- Wet Wet Wet
- Sly & Robbie
- Ashford and Simpson
- Arnhem Land Dance Troupe
- Fish
- Amampondo
- Amabutho
- Fat Boys
- IDJ Dancers
- UB40
- Bryan Adams
- Joan Armatrading
- Richard Attenborough
- Derek B
- H. B. Barnum
- Jennifer Beals
- Harry Belafonte
- Corbin Bernsen
- Jackson Browne
- Jonathan Butler
- Paul Carrack
- Tracy Chapman
- Graham Chapman
- Chubby Checker
- Joe Cocker
- Natalie Cole
- Phil Collins
- Billy Connolly
- Jerry Dammers
- Harry Enfield
- Peter Gabriel
- Richard Gere
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Al Green
- Jonas Gwangwa
- Tony Hadley
- Daryl Hannah
- Lenny Henry
- Gregory Hines
- Whitney Houston
- Chrissie Hynde
- Freddie Jackson
- Mick Karn
- Salif Keïta
- Mark Colbert Kelly
- Ray Lema
- Emily Lloyd
- Miriam Makeba
- Johnny Marr
- Hugh Masekela
- Ali MacGraw
- George Michael
- Philip Michael Thomas
- Youssou N'Dour
- Jessye Norman
- Steve Norman
- Michael Palin
- Courtney Pine
- David Sanborn
- Curt Smith
- Sting
- Midge Ure
- Denzel Washington
- Stevie Wonder
- Paul Young