Abi Ofarim

Abi Ofarim
Ofarim in March 1968
Born Avraham Reichstadt
(1937-10-05)5 October 1937
Safed, Mandatory Palestine
Died 4 May 2018(2018-05-04) (aged 80)
Munich, Germany
Nationality Israeli
Abi and Esther Ofarim (1963)
Esther and Abi Ofarim (1968)

Abi Ofarim, born Avraham Reichstadt (5 October 1937 – 4 May 2018)[1][2] was an Israeli musician and dancer.

At age 12, he attended ballet school, and made his onstage debut in Haifa at 15. By 17 he was arranging his own choreography, and by 18 had his own dance studio.[3]

Duo: Esther & Abi Ofarim

In 1961, he married Esther Ofarim. He achieved some international fame performing with her as a musical duo Esther & Abi Ofarim, playing the guitar and singing backing vocals.

In 1966, the duo had their first hit in Germany with "Noch einen Tanz". Their greatest success in Germany came the next year with "Morning of my Life", written by the Bee Gees.

In 1968, "Cinderella Rockefella" hit the top of the charts in a number of countries including the UK.[4] They played many live concerts in New York and London, and in 1969 they toured around the world. The couple divorced in Germany in 1970.[5]

Following break-up

Some time after his divorce, Ofarim developed a drug and alcohol addiction.[5] Nevertheless, he continued performing, releasing a number of albums, and also working as a manager, composer and arranger, through his company PROM.

Ofarim's book, Der Preis der wilden Jahre (literally: "The Price of the Wild Years") was first published in 1982. He remarried twice. His third marriage was to Sandra (Sandy), whom he divorced in 2004. Their sons, Gil and Tal Ofarim, are also in show business.

Beginning in April 2014, Abi Ofarim ran a "Jugendzentrum für Senioren" ("Youth Center for Elderly People") in Munich, a social project against poverty and solitude of the elderly, together with his organization "Kinder von Gestern e. V." ("Children of Yesterday").[6]

Discography

As Esther and Abraham
  • 1963: "One More Dance"
As Esther and Abi Ofarim
  • 1964: "Schönes Mädchen"
  • 1965: "Drunten im Tale"
  • 1965: "Bye Biddy - Bye Bye Jack"
  • 1965: "Noch einen Tanz"
  • 1966: "Donna – Donna"
  • 1966: "Sing Hallelujah"
  • 1966: "Die Wahrheit (die Fahrt ins Heu)"
  • 1967: "Morning of My Life" (Bee Gees' composition for the duo)
  • 1967: "Garden of My Home" (Bee Gees' composition for the duo)
  • 1968: "Cinderella Rockefella"

References

  1. ↑ Profile, Discogs.com; accessed 4 May 2018.
  2. ↑ Earnshaw, Jessica (4 May 2018). "Abi Ofarim dead: Cinderella Rockefella singer dies at home after 'long illness' age 80".
  3. ↑ Abi and Esther Ofarim profile, onlineweb.com; accessed 4 May 2018.
  4. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London, UK: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 404. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  5. 1 2 Esther Ofarim website, esther-ofarim.de; accessed 4 May 2018.(in German)
  6. ↑ "KVG-EV - Jugendzentrum für Senioren". kindervongestern.de.
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