Rex Rabanye

Born in Potchefstroom in 1944, 'Rex' Rabanye is one of South Africa's longest-standing musicians. Having lived in the harsh apartheid era, Rex is one of the few black musicians that we onto get a university education, resulting in a degree in Law, Labour Relations, Public Relations as well as a political education. Unfortunately, the only jobs this qualified man could get were as cleaner, car washer and later, a clerk in a furniture shop. He continued to further his education and his political interests brought trouble for Rex and he was jailed on numerous occasions, brutally beaten and abused. Through the time spend in jail, Rex and various other inmates started singing to console themselves. "Singing kept us strong and I named the named the team The Teenage Lovers" After leaving jail, The Teenage Lovers went onto record various albums, all resulting in great success. They were a prolific musical force in the 1980's with soulful-pop melodies and uplifting messages. Rex Rabanye continued as a solo artist after the group disbanded and went onto record numerous other records, maintaining the soulful messages he had cultivated as a composer, organ player and singer in The Teenage Lovers.