Dusty and Stones

Music

Mooihoek, Swaziland

Two rising stars of Africa's nascent country music scene, cousins Gazi "Dusty" Simelane and Linda "Stones" Msibi grew up together in a remote valley in Mooihoek, Swaziland, where they herded their family's cattle after school and went to church every Sunday to watch their grandfather preach. When the Swazi national radio station began broadcasting a weekly program of classic American country music, the cousins heard the joys and hardships of their rural lives reflected in the songs of artists like Dolly Parton and Hank Williams. They became determined to develop a distinctly Southern African take on this historically American genre of music. Dusty and Stones have since become prolific country singer/songwriters with an international following. Their debut album, Mooihoek Country Fever, effortlessly fused classic American country sounds with traditional Swazi storytelling sensibilities and became a nationwide hit in Swaziland. The duo's music soon attracted attention throughout Europe and the US. In 2017, the cousins were invited to Nashville, where they recorded their original songs with celebrated country producer Robert Ellis Orrall and Grammy-winning mixer Jamie Tate. Dusty and Stones' music videos have garnered over 100,000 views on YouTube, and they are the focus of a new feature-length documentary.
EVENTS
Wed 3/22 9:30pm: Dusty and Stones at Treeline Bus #2
Thu 3/23 10:10pm: Dusty & Stones at Hannah's
Fri 3/24 3:20pm: Dusty & Stones at The Hideout
Sat 3/25 8:00pm: Dusty and Stones at Camp Modern
Dusty and Stones