Lagos (CNN) Google has created a doodle in honor of jazz legend and anti-apartheid hero Hugh Masekela on what would have been his 80th birthday.

Known as the father of South African jazz, the trumpet master channeled the struggle against apartheid into soulful compositions that championed the experiences of ordinary South Africans.

Masekela died one year ago in January, a few months shy of his 79th birthday.

Also known affectionately in South Africa as Bra Hugh, Masekela was born in the town of Witbank on April 4 1939.

His image was featured prominently Thursday on Google homepages in the UK, US, South Africa and a few other countries worldwide.

Today the Search Engine @Google is celebrating Hugh Masekela's 80th Birthday with Google Doodle in US, UK, South Africa and few other countries. Happy Birthday Hugh Masekela 🎺🎺🎺 😊 Visit https://t.co/eMStzSopio to share the link and celebrate with us! 🎺 #HughMasekela80th pic.twitter.com/wTkb5h8AU7 — #HughMasekela80th (@hughmasekela) April 4, 2019

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