Girma Bèyènè, born in

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...

, is an

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

n lyricist, composer, arranger, vocalist, and pianist, most active during the golden era of Ethiopian

vinyl record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts nea ...

s (1969–78). He only recorded four songs as a vocalist, but arranged more than 60 titles, and collaborated on at least 25 other tracks. Girma left Ethiopia during the

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 ...

military dictatorship to live in the United States, where he disappeared into the diaspora and ceased to play music. He released a new album in 2017, part of the Ethiopiques collection.

Discography

;Contributing artist * ''Éthiopiques Volume 8: Swinging Addis'' (2000,

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' ...

) * '' The Rough Guide to the Music of Ethiopia'' (2004,

World Music Network World Music Network is a UK-based record label specializing in world music. The World Music Network website features news, reviews, live music listings, and guide sections on world music. It also features an online "Battle of the Bands" compet ...

) * ''Éthiopiques Volume 22: Alèmayèhu Eshèté, featuring Girma Bèyènè'' (2007,

) ;Lead artist * ''Éthiopiques Volume 30: "Mistakes On Purpose", Girma Bèyènè & Akalé Wubé'' (2017,

)

References

External links

"Girma Bèyènè - Biography"
Last.fm * * Ethiopian music arrangers Living people People from Addis Ababa Year of birth missing (living people) {{Ethiopia-bio-stub