{{Short description|South African country singer and radio broadcaster (1938–2020)}} {{Distinguish|James Lance}} {{Expand Afrikaans|topic=bio|date=January 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | birth_name = Lance James Liebenberg | alias = "Big Daddy" | birth_date= {{birth date|1938|7|18}} | birth_place = [[Germiston]], [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|3|2|1938|7|18}} | death_place = [[Johannesburg]], [[South Africa]] | genre = Country | occupation = Singer, radio host | website= [http://www.lancejames.co.za/ lancejames.co.za]
}} '''Lance James''' (18 July 1938 – 2 March 2020) was a South African country singer and radio broadcaster ([[Springbok Radio]], 1954–1985). Some of his hits include Thank You, Vicki and Ahoy, Madagascar Ahoy !.<ref name=Hist_CM_SA>{{cite book | first=Garth | last=Chilvers | date=1994 | title=History of contemporary music of South Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDZLAAAAYAAJ | publisher=Toga| isbn=9780620181211 }}</ref> During [[Huisgenoot| Huisgenoot's]] 2009 Skouspel he (along with nine other singers) was honored for their lifelong contribution to [[Afrikaans]] and [[Music of South Africa|South African music]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Veteran Afrikaans singer Lance James has died|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2020-03-02-tshisa-veteran-afrikaans-singer-lance-james-has-died/|access-date=2021-01-11|website=TimesLIVE|language=en-ZA}}</ref>
==Early life== Lance James Liebenberg was born 1938 in Germiston on the East Rand of Johannesburg.<ref name=Citz02/><ref name="Brak01">{{Cite web|date=2020-03-03|title=EXCLUSIVE: Remembering a legend (Video)|url=https://brakpanherald.co.za/212393/exclusive-remembering-a-legend/|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Brakpan Herald|language=en-US}}</ref> He married Valerie Mary Wilson and they had two children Chanel Liebenberg and Dionne Liebenberg.
==Career== He worked at the [[SABC]] on [[Springbok Radio]] from 1954 until 1985.<ref>{{Cite web|title=South African country singer Lance James, 81, dies|url=https://www.news24.com/channel/the-juice/news/south-african-country-singer-lance-james-81-dies-reports-20200302|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Channel24|language=en-US}}</ref> At the radio station, he was a presenter on two shows, ''Keep it Country'' on Sundays and ''Munt uit Musiek''.<ref name="Citz01">{{Cite news|last=Roets|first=Adriaan|date=7 March 2020|title=Lance James: A lasting legacy|work=The Citizen (South Africa)|url=|access-date=}}</ref>{{rp|14}}
An autobiography, ''Dankie'' by Francois van Oudtshoorn was published in 2015.<ref name=Citz01/>{{rp|14}} His final album came out in 2019, called ''Swan Song''.<ref name=Citz01/>{{rp|14}}
==Death== Suffering from heart problems and other aged health issues, he was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital in 2020.<ref name="Disp01">{{Cite news|last=Zeeman|first=Kylie|date=4 March 2020|title=Veteran Afrikaans singer Lance James|work=Daily Dispatch (South Africa)|url=|access-date=}}</ref>{{rp|2}} There he broke a hip and would later pass away from an infection after hip surgery, several weeks in hospital.<ref name=Disp01/>{{rp|2}}<ref name="Citz02">{{Cite news|last=Roets|first=Adriaan|date=3 March 2020|title=Lance James dies, aged 81|work=The Citizen (South Africa)|url=|access-date=}}</ref> He is survived by his two daughters Chanel and Dionne, three grandchildren Tyron, Declan and Lilly-Joy, son-in-law's Glenn Floyd and Benjy Mudie, business partner Mara van der Burgh and partner Eunice Wait <ref name=Citz02/>
==Honours== In 2019, he was honoured for his life work by Federasie van Afrikaanse Kulturvereniginge.<ref name=Citz02/> Other awards include a Beeld Award for contribution to Afrikaans music, a Solidarity Award, six Sarie Awards and several awards for "Best Album of the Year", and a Life Time Achievement Award.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Legendary country singer Lance James dies|url=https://www.jacarandafm.com/news/news/legendary-country-singer-lance-james-dies/|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Jacaranda FM}}</ref> On 26 January 2020, Lance was also inaugurated as a living legend in the South African Legends Museum. He was one of only 20 legends from whom a bust was also made.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|http://www.lancejames.co.za/}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Lance}} [[Category:Afrikaner people]] [[Category:20th-century South African male singers]] [[Category:South African Christians]] [[Category:South African gospel singers]] [[Category:1938 births]] [[Category:2020 deaths]] [[Category:South African country singers]] [[Category:Afrikaans-language South African singers]]