David Kramer (singer)
| David Kramer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 June 1951 Worcester, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Alma mater |
Leeds University (textile) University of Cape Town (hon) |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, playwright and musical director |
| Years active | 1980- |
| Agent | Mountain Records |
| Known for | Red veldskoen shoes Volkswagen Microbus adverts |
| Style | folk, solo guitar |
| Home town | Boland, Western Cape |
| Awards | 11 gold and 1 platinum record |
| Website | www |
David Kramer (born 27 June 1951) is a South African singer, songwriter, playwright and director, most notable for his musicals about the Cape Coloured communities, and for his early opposition to apartheid.
Kramer was born in Worcester, South Africa to a furniture merchant and a hairdresser, and spent his formative years in Worcester. His brother, John Kramer, became an artist known for his oil-on-canvas portrayal of cafés, stores and houses standing in the sharp sunlight of sleepy towns. The Kramer family name (originally Karabelnik) was adopted by his grandfather who arrived in South Africa from Lithuania in 1899, and made a living as a salesman (walking from farm to farm selling goods).
During Kramer's stay in Worcester he had some music lessons with the classical composer Cromwell Everson. He played in a South African band called The Creeps in the 1960s, and then travelled to England in 1971 to study textile design at Leeds University on a bursary.
He began his music career in the mid-1970s, singing at folk clubs and campus concerts in South Africa. David pioneered the use of Cape Afrikaans and South African English in his lyrics, often using both languages in the same song. He focused on small town South Africa and employed a gritty realism and dark satire to tell his stories and describe his characters.
In his stage performances he portrayed himself as a rural everyman who traveled the dusty roads of small town South Africa with an old bicycle and a cheap guitar. He sang in the Boland patois of his youth and told stories and sang songs in both languages.
His first album BAKGAT! issued by Mountain Records was released in 1980, and was immediately banned in its entirety by the SABC because it was considered too political and vulgar for the South African ear. Despite initial setbacks, he went on to be awarded 11 gold and one platinum record for sales of his albums.
His follow-up album, Die Verhaal van Blokkies Joubert, a portrait of a has-been Springbok rugby player, rocketed him into the public eye and produced the singles Blokkies Joubert and Die Royal Hotel both of which topped singles charts on various South African Radio stations. The album reached number 11 on the South African LP charts.
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