Apartheid (which has since been abolished) was the subject of some of Butler's '80s recordings. Sadly, Butler learned about the horrors of South Africa's racist apartheid laws at an early age when he was growing up, South Africa had an oppressive system of racial segregation that was quite comparable to the Jim Crow laws that plagued the southern U.S. Stevie Wonder became a major influence, and so did former hard bop guitarist-turned-R&B/pop singer George Benson. He was an admirer of South African stars like singer Miriam Makeba, but he was also hip to the American soul and jazz artists who lived thousands of miles away in the United States. He was the youngest of about 12 children and absorbed a variety of music when he was a kid. As a Christian, many of Butler's albums, like 2012's Grace and Mercy and 2015's Free, showcase his faith and love of gospel music, along with his groove-based jazz chops.īorn in Cape Town, South Africa in October 1961, Butler was a child when he started singing and playing acoustic guitar. An internationally recognized artist, he has lived in England and California, and remains a star in his native South Africa where his 2004 album, Surrender, achieved gold status. While he has enjoyed a following since the late '70s, Butler broke through to a wider audience in the late '80s with albums 7th Avenue and Jonathan Butler, the latter of which featured the hit single "Lies," which reached number 27 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song. South African-born guitarist Jonathan Butler is a hugely popular performer known for his crossover blend of R&B, pop jazz fusion, and worship music.