Sabah Fakhri

Sabah was born in Aleppo, Syria and enrolled in the Academy of Arabic Music of Aleppo. He later studied at the Academy of Damascus, from which he graduated in 1948. He was given the stage name "Fakhri" by his mentor, Syrian nationalist leader Fakhri al-Barudi, who encouraged him as a young boy to stay in Syria and not travel to Italy. One of Fakhri's earliest performances was in 1948 at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, before President Shukri al-Quwatli and Prime Minister Jamil Mardam Bey. Unlike many Arab artists, he never studied or worked in Cairo, insisting that his fame is linked to the artistic heritage of his homeland, Syria.

Sabah Fakhri is one of the very few singers from Arabic-speaking countries to have reached widespread popularity by singing in the Arabic language (including Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia). His name is enshrined in the Guinness Book of Records for his prowess in Caracas, Venezuela, where he sang continuously for 10 hours without pause.[1]

In 1998, Fakhri became a member of the Syrian parliament for the session, as a representative of artists.[2]

When he performs, Fakhri insists on interacting with his audience. Before singing, he insists on having a good atmosphere by having good musicians and an appropriate sound system. While performing he asks for the lights to remain on, to interact with the audience. He says that the audience plays a key role in bringing out the performer's creativity. The audience should be aware of the music and poetry, so they would value the music given to them.[3]

Fakhri has sung many traditional songs from Aleppo, based on the poems of Abu Firas al-Hamdani, Al-Mutanabbi and other poets. He has also worked with contemporary composers. Some of his most popular songs are:

• Yā Hādī al-‘Ess / Mālek Yā Ḥelwa(t) Mālek
• Khamrat el-Ḥobb
• Yā Ṭīra(t) Ṭīrī
• Fōg el-Nakhal (Iraqi song)
• ’Adduka al-Mayāss
• Yā Māl el-Shām
• Muwashshaḥ Imlīlī / Yā Shādī el-Alḥān
• Eba‘atlī Jawwāb
• Ah Yā Ḥelō

Fakhri was awarded the Syrian Order of Merit of Excellent Degree by the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in recognition of his achievements in serving and his role in reviving the artistic heritage of Syria.[4]

•  Syria : Grand cordon of the Order of Civil Merit.
•  Egypt : Grand Cross of the Order of Merit.
•  Lebanon : First Classe of Wissam of the Order of Merit.
•  Morocco : Grand Cross of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite.
•  Oman : Grand cordon of the Order of Civil Merit.
•  Tunisia : Grand cordon of the Order of cultural Merit.

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