Real Name: Jonathan Butler
Born: October 1961
Jonathan Butler is a guitarist, singer and songwriter born in October 1961 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Jonathan Butler was born and raised during ‘Apartheid’, a system of legalized racial segregation. He was the youngest of twelve children and the only child who began playing acoustic guitar and singing. Jonathan Butler learnt different genres of music and was an admirer of South African Stars. Poverty and racial segregation was the subject of many of his records in 1980s.
In 1977, British producer Clive Calder signed Jonathan Butler to the London-based ‘Jive Records’. Jonathan signed Jive Records when he was a teenager and did not know fluent English. Jonathan Butler’s instrumental debut album was released in the same year (1977). The album earned him a ‘Sarie Award’, which is South African equivalent of an American Grammy. Jonathan was often compared to Benson, who has been praised for his guitar playing and singing.
Jonathan Butler began composing songs in 1978 and joined ‘Pacific Express’, the Cape Town’s jazz/rock group. He recorded two albums with Pacific Express. Jonathan Butler moved to England in the early 1980s, where ‘Jive Records’ main office was located and remained there for 17 years. In the 1980s and 1990s, Jonathan Butler maintained a loyal following in South Africa, Europe and the United States.
The CD "Gospel Goes Classical" ranked #2 on Billboard Gospel charts in 2006. In the same year, the CD also topped #3 position in Classical Crossover charts. Butler contributed the vocals for this CD produced by University of Alabama
Some of his albums include:
- ‘Introducing Jonathan Butler’ (1985)
- ‘Jonathan Butler’ and ‘Inspirations’ (1987)
- ‘7th Avenue’ and ‘More Than Friends’ (1988)
- ‘Heal Our Land’ (1990)
- ‘Best Of Jonathan Butler’ (1993)
- ‘Jonathan Daniel Butler’ and ‘Head To Head’ (1994)
- ‘Do You Love Me?’ (1997)
- ‘Story Of Life’ (1999)
- ‘The Source’ (2000)
- ‘Surrender’ and ‘Ultimate Butler’ (2002)
- Worship Project (2004)
- Jonathan (2005)
- Gospel Goes Classical (2006)
- Brand New Day (2007)