After decades in the industry, musician and producer (72) Eugene Havenga, of Beyers Park, is still not ready to put down his instruments.

Havenga has been in the professional music business since about 1968.

He started in his hometown of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) with the Neels Matthys band, then Cape Town as a dance teacher in Latin American and ballroom. He arrived in Johannesburg in 1970 and joined a band called Stonecast Feather, which later became Proudfoot.

Havenga quickly earned a reputation as a session singer in studios with a four-octave range and one of the finest rock singers to come out of South Africa.

Due to Havenga being an Afrikaner, it was almost impossible in those days to identify an Afrikaner with rock music. He then became a specialist singer doing many vocal sessions for numerous singers.

Among all the favourite singers he worked with, the late Cora Marais was his favourite. He also worked with musicians like Bles Bridges, Laurika Rauch, Min Shaw and Johan Stemmet.

The talented musician then performed overseas, in America and Barcelona and worked with international acts like Wilson Pickett, Rick Wakeman from YES, bass player Abe Laboriel, percussionist Alex Acuna and saxophonist Justo Almario.

Moreover, Havenga has recorded dozens of TV shows under the old TV 4 channel, as well as under his own name. Furthermore, he was the voice behind the hits Celebrate The Rain, Blue Water, as well as Country Gold and Great Wall Of China.

He is currently composing his own songs for various projects, as well as attending to the recording and production requirements of local and international clients.

“I will never give up music. I want to continue to compose music on an international level,” he added.

Havenga said he has a passion for helping people reach their dreams in music and that the future must be shaped by generously giving to people without expecting anything in return.

His advice to aspiring musicians?

“Go back to the old days. It’s important to be able to read and understand notes,” he said.

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