Alemayehu Eshete Andarge ( am, ዓለማየሁ እሸቴ አንዳርጌ; French pronunciation: Alèmayèhu Eshèté; June 1941 – 2 September 2021) was an Ethiopian singer. He had performed since the 1960s and primarily in

Amharic Amharic ( or ; (Amharic: ), ', ) is an Ethiopian Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amharas, and also serves as a lingua franca for all oth ...

. He had been nicknamed "the Ethiopian Elvis".

Early life and career

Alemayehu was born in June 1941 in Addis Ababa, where his father worked as a taxi driver. 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. Over the course of 15 years, Alemayehu released some 30 singles until the arrival of the

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

junta

Derg The Derg (also spelled Dergue; , ), officially the Provisional Military Administrative Council (PMAC), was the military junta that ruled Ethiopia, then including present-day Eritrea, from 1974 to 1987, when the military leadership formally " c ...

. Alemayehu continued working as a musician under the Derg and was once ordered to perform in Korean for Kim Il-sung. Alemayehu gained fame in Europe and the Americas with the release of

Buda Musique Buda Musique is a French record label specializing in world music. It was founded in 1987 by Gilles Fruchaux and Dominique Buscall. After Buscall died in 1990, Fruchaux became the sole owner. The label is especially known for its ''Éthiopiques' ...

's '' Ethiopiques'' series of compilations on compact disc. ''Ethiopiques Volume 9'' is devoted entirely to recordings of his earlier music,ETHIOPIQUES VOLUME 09 on Buda Musique
, Retrieved 10 September 2012. 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 The Either/Orchestra (E/O) is a jazz group formed by Russ Gershon in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, in 1985. E/O is configured as a "small big band", with three saxes, two trumpets and one or two trombones. E/O's is characterized by a heavier an ...

Death

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 Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...

. 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 Meskel Square ( am, መስቀል አደባባይ, mesik’el ādebabay, Cross Square) is a public square in the city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is often a site for public gatherings or for demonstrations and festivals, notably, the Meskel F ...

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.

Discography

References

External links

Addis Journal: Stencil Paintings for the Ethiopian Music Festival
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Eshete, Alemayehu 1941 births 2021 deaths 20th-century Ethiopian male singers Ethiopian jazz musicians 21st-century Ethiopian male singers Buda Musique artists People from Jimma