Rest Well Sir #LionelPetersen !!! Thank you for the music, the memories and inspiration through your gift of music !!! Condolences to Auntie Valerie Triegaardt Petersen, Lyndon Cuba Petersen and the entire family !!!
Saddest news #LionelPetersen is no more. My sincere condolences to sis Val, his sons and the extended family, the church he loved and music lovers. #RIPLionelPetersen
The Winners are a South African R&B and gospel music band, formed by Lionel Peterson in 1984. The band is composed of Praise singers and preachers, Lionel Petersen. He was born on the 13th of October 1947 in Alexandra, Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1984, while singing R&B and gospel music worship songs, Kaizer Chiefs won every trophy in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL).
Their victory against Orlando Pirates in the Mainstay Cup game inspired the song titled We Are Number One by The Winners. Originally known as Mr Music, Lionel Petersen started singing when he was 10 years old, after being influenced by musicians like Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Otis Redding, Elvis Presley, and Tom Jones. In 1984, Petersen lead the Winners band in a song that captured the lively atmosphere at Ellis Park Stadium.
The radio commentary by Koos Radebe (known as the incomparable) can be heard in the background, along with cheering fans. This popular recording has since become a holy grail of township pop music and can be hard to find. Born in the late seventies, he began his career as a professional player with multiple rock and R&B bands, including Thunderballs and the Miracles, both from Johannesburg. He then moved to Port Elizabeth and joined The Invaders, one of South Africas top musical groups in the early seventies.
He played with them for two months, touring Germany, Holland, and the United Kingdom. The Invaders were formed in Uitenhage, Cape Province, in 1962. John Burke, Errol Gobey, Desmond and Vernal Solomon, along with vocalist Ike Dolley comprise the original line up of the band. They were joined by Joe Moses on lead guitar and Dave Burke on drums a year after their formation. The band became so popular that they were performing in Port Elizabeth and other towns in both Eastern and Western Cape. Their first single, I Will Try Again, and its B-side June were released in 1965 after their previous success.
The single was a self-funded project by Lionel Petersen and made Trutone Records sign them for a five-year recording deal. Their home-grown music made them believe they could compete with international talent and sound equipment, and their first single was successful. The Invaders had their first gold record with a studio version of June, their first single under Trutone Records.
Other singles released in the following years included Ice Cream & Suckers and Shockwave. The group heard about Lionel Petersen while they were performing in Johannesburg in 1967. They released two albums in 1967: Two Sides of The Invaders and Shockwave. The Miracles noticed Petersens singing style and invited him to be their lead singer. The group had a tour of Europe and the UK in 1970, and proved to be an outstanding act of the world.
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