Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
South African artist born as Michael Richard Eager on 22 October 1953 in Germiston. His career as a singer started at the age of 12 when he began singing with various junior bands, and he also played bass in the instrumental band “The Cavaliers” in the mid-1960s. He completed his schooling at Jeppe Boys High in Johannesburg and then pursued a career as a musician, playing drums and guitar and singing with various bands until the mid-1970s. In 1976 he signed a contract with EMI and released his debut 7” single “Rock Me To Sleep” later that year. It reached #13 on Springbok Radio’s South African Top 20 in August of that year, charting for 8 weeks. Later that year he also received a Mini-Sarie Award as Most Promising Male Vocalist.
At this stage he worked for EMI Records as a Public relations Officer whilst singing on a parttime basis. He released his next 7” single, “What Have I Done”, in 1977 and it reached #8 on the Top 20 in February, charting for 10 weeks. It also reached #15 on Radio 5’s Top 20. Over the next 5 years he regularly appeared at festivals, concerts and even as a cabaret star in his own stage production. Towards the end of 1982 he joined up with the keyboard player Eddie Gilbert to form the duo “Libra”, and they played at most of the popular nightclubs in and around Johannesburg. In July of that year, he had his greatest hit when “Just How High” reached #6 on the Top 20 and charted for 12 weeks. This also happened to be his last Top 20 hit.
His first two 7” singles were released as Michael Eagar, whereafter he changed his name to Mike Eager. During the 1970s Mike appeared on national television on 6 occasions, amongst others in the popular programme “Pop Shop”. Most of his songs were written by Robert and Ernest Schröder, Ken Levine and the Brit Kevin Kitchen. In all he released nine 7” singles, three as Michael and six as Mike. During the 1980s he mostly sang at corporate functions, weddings, and birthday parties, and also managed his own recording studio in Johannesburg from where he released more than 600 songs.
After this he mostly disappeared from the public eye and lived a quiet life in Kensington, Johannesburg. On 14 August 2007, aged 53, he tragically took his own life in Primrose, Johannesburg, after a failed relationship.
This song was released on 7" single in 1979.
South African artist born as Michael Richard Eager on 22 October 1953 in Germiston. His career as a singer started at the age of 12 when he began singing with various junior bands, and he also played bass in the instrumental band “The Cavaliers” in the mid-1960s. He completed his schooling at Jeppe Boys High in Johannesburg and then pursued a career as a musician, playing drums and guitar and singing with various bands until the mid-1970s. In 1976 he signed a contract with EMI and released his debut 7” single “Rock Me To Sleep” later that year. It reached #13 on Springbok Radio’s South African Top 20 in August of that year, charting for 8 weeks. Later that year he also received a Mini-Sarie Award as Most Promising Male Vocalist.
At this stage he worked for EMI Records as a Public relations Officer whilst singing on a parttime basis. He released his next 7” single, “What Have I Done”, in 1977 and it reached #8 on the Top 20 in February, charting for 10 weeks. It also reached #15 on Radio 5’s Top 20. Over the next 5 years he regularly appeared at festivals, concerts and even as a cabaret star in his own stage production. Towards the end of 1982 he joined up with the keyboard player Eddie Gilbert to form the duo “Libra”, and they played at most of the popular nightclubs in and around Johannesburg. In July of that year, he had his greatest hit when “Just How High” reached #6 on the Top 20 and charted for 12 weeks. This also happened to be his last Top 20 hit.
His first two 7” singles were released as Michael Eagar, whereafter he changed his name to Mike Eager. During the 1970s Mike appeared on national television on 6 occasions, amongst others in the popular programme “Pop Shop”. Most of his songs were written by Robert and Ernest Schröder, Ken Levine and the Brit Kevin Kitchen. In all he released nine 7” singles, three as Michael and six as Mike. During the 1980s he mostly sang at corporate functions, weddings, and birthday parties, and also managed his own recording studio in Johannesburg from where he released more than 600 songs.
After this he mostly disappeared from the public eye and lived a quiet life in Kensington, Johannesburg. On 14 August 2007, aged 53, he tragically took his own life in Primrose, Johannesburg, after a failed relationship.
This song was released on 7" single in 1979.
