Ray Phiri

Raymond Chikapa Enock Phiri (23 March 1947 – 12 July 2017) was a South African jazz guitarist, singer, fusion and mbaqanga musician. He was born in Mpumalanga to Malawian immigrant worker and South African guitarist nicknamed "Just Now" Phiri.

Ray Phiri
Phiri performing in 2007
Born	Raymond Chikapa Phiri (1947-03-23)23 March 1947 Nelspruit, South Africa
Died	12 July 2017(2017-07-12) (aged 70) Nelspruit, South Africa
Occupation(s)	Recording artist, jazz fusion
Years active	1970–2017
Spouse	Daphney Phiri (deceased)
Children	3 sons, 5 daughters
Musical career
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, reggae, mbaqanga
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Labels	Gallo, Barclay

Phiri became founding member of the Cannibals in the 1970s. When the Cannibals disbanded Ray founded Stimela, with whom he conceived gold and platinum-selling albums like Fire, Passion and Ecstasy (1991), Look, Listen and Decide (1992) as well as the controversial People Don't Talk So Let's Talk.

Phiri died at the age of 70 on 12 July 2017 at a Nelspruit hospital from lung cancer.^[1][2]