Alemayehu Eshete
ዓለማየሁ እሸቴ
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Alemayehu in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 1941 Addis Ababa,[1] Occupied Enemy Territory Administration (now Ethiopia) |
| Died | 2 September 2021(2021-09-02) (aged 80) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1960s–2021 |
| Labels | Buda Musique |
Alemayehu Eshete Andarge (Amharic: ዓለማየሁ እሸቴ አንዳርጌ; French pronunciation: Alèmayèhu Eshèté; June 1941[2] – 2 September 2021) was an Ethiopian singer. He had performed since the 1960s and primarily in Amharic. He had been nicknamed "the Ethiopian Elvis".[3][4]
Alemayehu was born in June 1941 in Addis Ababa, where his father worked as a taxi driver.[5] Alemayehu talent was recognized by Colonel Retta Demeqe, who invited the young singer to perform with Addis Ababa's famous Police Orchestra. He had his first hit "Seul" in 1961 before moving on to found the Alem-Girma Band with Girma Beyene.[6] Over the course of 15 years, Alemayehu released some 30 singles until the arrival of the communist junta Derg. Alemayehu continued working as a musician under the Derg and was once ordered to perform in Korean for Kim Il Sung.[5]
Alemayehu gained fame in Europe and the Americas with the release of Buda Musique's Ethiopiques series of compilations on compact disc. Ethiopiques Volume 9 is devoted entirely to recordings of his earlier music,[7] and Volume 22 covers his career between 1972 and 1974. Other songs have also appeared on Volumes 3, 8, 10, and 13 or the series. In 2008, Alemayehu toured the United States with fellow Ethiopian singer Mahmoud Ahmed, backed by Boston's 10-piece Either/Orchestra.
Alemayehu died at midnight on 2 September 2021 in a hospital located in Addis Ababa. He was spending his last days with his friends and complained about discomfort after going home at 7 a.m (local time). Some sources indicate that he had been suffering from heart disease. He was buried on 7 September at Holy Trinity Cathedral. Before his body was transported to the cathedral, a farewell ceremony took place at Meskel Square with tens of thousands of attendants, and his two songs "Temar Lije" and "Addis Ababa Bete" were played for tribute. He is survived by seven children and six grandchildren.[8][9]
| Album list |
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Addis Ababa
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| Compilation albums |
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Ethiopiques, Vol. 9
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The Rough Guide to the Music of Ethiopia
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Ethiopiques, Vol. 22 (1972–1974)
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The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Africa
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The Rough Guide to the Music of Ethiopia
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