"Joe Nina was born Henry Makhosini Xaba in Kwa-Thema in the East Rand township. He grew up in a musical household and he was raised to become a musician. His father, Solomon was a guitar and saxophonist player back then during the Sophiatown days. His mother, Lettie did backing vocals for his father’s band, the Shamings. Little Joe Nina, aged three, happily accompanied Mom and Dad to gigs (where they were going to perform) sometimes to venues as far as Swaziland.