"Jonathan Butler was born the youngest of 12 siblings in Cape Town, South Africa in 1961 and began singing and playing acoustic guitar at a very young age, admiring South African singers like Miriam Makeba as well as American soul and jazz artists like Stevie Wonder and George Benson. While growing up in South Africa, Butler endured racism constantly due to the nation's oppressive system of racial segregation (think the Jim Crow era in the southern parts of the States in the early ‘60s) and wrote some anti-apartheid songs, although never reaching the scale of hardcore protest singers like Peter Tosh or Gil Scott-Heron. Although his first language was Afrikaans, Butler quickly became fluent in English and inked a deal with London-based Jive Records after British producer Clive Calder liked his sound in 1977. That same year he released his debut album, the mostly instrumental Introducing Jonathan Butler, and enlisted Bob Crenshaw on bass.After releasing his debut album, Butler spawned comparisons to one of his idols, George Benson, and also received a Sarie Award (the South African equivalent to an American Grammy). In the early ‘80s Butler escaped from the apartheid of his native country and moved to England, where he would remain for 17 years, and garnered a following that extended throughout Europe and to the U.S. as well as flourishing in South Africa as well. In 1987 Butler issued an eponymous album via Jive which contained a smash cover of the Staple Singers' ""If You're Ready (Come With Me)"" and the following year More Than Friends was an even bigger success thanks to hits like ""Sarah, Sarah"" and ""Lies"" (which was nominated for a Grammy). After years recording for Jive, Butler crossed over to N-Coded Records for 1997's Do You Love Me?, 1999's Story of Life and 2000's The Source before moving to Warner Bros. for 2002's Surrender. Jonathan (2005) was followed by Butler's most recent release, 2007's Brand New Day. "
