Born Greenwood "Mtebeti" Wambali Mkandawire on 10 July 1952 in the Congo (then Zaire), with deep roots in Mlowe Village, Rumphi District, Malawi. He grew up surrounded by Congolese and South African music, shaped by traditional hymns and the storytelling of his family.

Wambali joined the band Sounds Pentagon in Blantyre as lead singer, fusing Tumbuka cultural sounds with Congolese rumba, South African jazz, and Western soul and gospel - forging a singular Afro-Jazz voice.

His 2002 album Zani Muwone elevated him to the world stage, leading to performances at major festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival in Cape Town, where audiences embraced his profound, soulful sound.

During the Banda regime, his music became woven into Malawi's democratic movement. Songs addressing injustice and freedom gained wide attention, making him a quiet but fearless musical activist.

Around 1984 he experienced a spiritual awakening, joining the Youth for Christ ministry band "New Song." He later studied Biblical Cross-Cultural Musicology in the UK, infusing his work with deep spiritual themes.

Wambali passed on 31 January 2021 in Lilongwe from COVID-19 complications. He is remembered as a cultural ambassador, a pioneer of Malawian Afro-Jazz, and a mentor whose legacy endures through generations.