Ahmad Zahir (Persian: احمد ظاهر) (June 14, 1946 - June 14, 1979), was an Afghan singer, of Pashtun and Tajik descent (not Pashai as assumed by ethnocentric Sitam-E-Milli communists. He was a songwriter and composer. A celebrity of enduring popularity more than a quarter century after his death, he is considered an icon of Afghanistani music. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Ahmadzahiralbumcover70s. ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Laghman province is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... For other places with the same name, see Kabul (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Soft rock, also referred to as light rock or easy rock, is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock and roll to compose a softer, supposedly more ear-pleasing sound for listening, often at work or when driving. ... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... In poetry (and as the lyrics in songs), the ghazal is a poetic form consisting of couplets which share a rhyme and a refrain. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Arabesk. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... A Harmonium is a free-standing musical keyboard instrument similar to a Reed Organ or Pipe Organ. ... A short grand piano, with the top up. ... This article is about the instrument as a whole. ... An electronic keyboard. ... Acoustic guitar can refer to the following musical instruments: Nylon and gut stringed guitars: Renaissance guitar Baroque guitar Romantic guitar Classical guitar, the modern version of the original guitar, with nylon strings Flamenco guitar Steel stringed guitars: Steel-string acoustic guitar, also known as western, folk or country guitar Twelve... An electric guitar is a type of guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into electrical current, which is then amplified. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... “Farsi” redirects here. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... For other uses, see Celebrity (disambiguation). ... Languages of Afghanistan (1985)  50% Dari dialect of Persian  35% Pashto  8% Uzbek  3% Turkmen  2% Baloch        Ethnic groups of Afghanistan (1985)  42% Pashtun  27% Tajik  9% Hazara  9% Uzbek         3% Turkmen  2% Baloch        The Demographics of Afghanistan are ethnically and linguistically mixed. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ...

Early Years

First Album Cover

Ahmad Zahir was born on June 14, 1946 (Jauza 23, 1325 of the Persian calendar) in Laghman, Afghanistan. He was from Pashtun descent and was born to a royal court doctor, who was also a one-time prime minister. His father, Abdul Zahir, was an influential figure in the Zahir Shah's era. Due to his nobility of birth, Ahmad Zahir's profession as a singer later became a point of contention between the singer and his elitist father. Still, he loved to sing and pressured by his fans also to kept him performing. Image File history File links Azalbumcoverx. ... Image File history File links Azalbumcoverx. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Laghman province is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... The Pashtuns (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, ethnic Afghan, or Pathan) are an ethno-linguistic group consisting mainly of eastern Iranian stock living primarily in eastern and southern Afghanistan, and the North West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. ... A trial at the Old Bailey in London as drawn by Thomas Rowlandson and Augustus Pugin for Ackermanns Microcosm of London (1808-11). ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... Mohammed Zahir Shah (born October 16, 1914) was the last King of Afghanistan from 1933 to 1973. ... Elitism is a belief or attitude that an elite — a selected group of persons whose personal abilities, specialized training or other attributes place them at the top of any field (see below) — are the people whose views on a matter are to be taken most seriously, or who are alone...

Ahmad Zahir's interest in music developed early, with his involvements in his high school’s band in the early 1960s. The Amateur Band of Habibia High School, as they became known, modeled themselves after such Western musical groups as the Beatles. The five-member band garnered notability with their performances in local concerts. Most of these were on occasions of large celebrations (Nouroz, Eid, Afghan Independence Day, etc.) and were centered in or around Kabul. The term Western world, the West or the Occident (Latin occidens -sunset, -west, as distinct from the Orient) [1] can have multiple meanings dependent on its context (e. ... The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 as part of their first tour of the United States, promoting their first hit single there, I Want To Hold Your Hand. ... A classical music concert in the Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 2005 Kasia Kowalska concert in Warsaw A concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. ... Norouz (Persian: ‎ also spelled Nauryz, Noe-Rooz, Nawroz, Norooz, Noruz, Novruz, Noh Ruz, Nauroz, Nav-roze, Navroz, Naw-Rúz, Nevruz, Наврӯз, Navruz, or Nowrouz) is the traditional Iranian new year holiday in Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, India, Turkey, Zanzibar, Albania, Georgia, various countries of Central Asia such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan... The word Eid can mean several things: There are two Islamic festivals of Eid: One is called Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر) that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, The other is Eid ul-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى) or Eid-e Qurban (Persian: عید قربان) which is celebrated to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim... Afghan Independence Day is celebrated in Afghanistan on 19 August to commemorate the Treaty of Rawalpindi in 1919. ... For other places with the same name, see Kabul (disambiguation). ...

Career

1960s

Rising from the acclaim of the band, Ahmad Zahir branched onto his solo career by the late 1960s. Much to the dismay of his father who looked forward to a political career for his son, Ahmad didn’t follow his father’s footsteps in statesmanship. Instead, he retained his political insight and later on integrated them into his music. Carrying his musical instincts to new heights, he began composing songs based on well recognized verses of Persian poetry. The meaning and depth of his songs quickly garnered him national attention as did the tenor voice that was complementary to a wide range of musical notes. This work earned critics’ commendation, marking him one of the few musicians who achieved this prestigious honor from the start. The release of his first album was celebrated on radio and newspapers across Afghanistan as jubilant fans fought for the remaining copies of the best seller. The term statesman is a respectful term used to refer to diplomats, politicians, and other notable figures of state. ... Persian literature is literature written in Persian, or by Persians in other languages. ... In music, a note is either a unit of fixed pitch that has been given a name, or the graphic representation of that pitch in a notation system, and sometimes its duration, or a specific instance of either, so one can speak of the second note of Happy Birthday for... A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on a list of top-sellers. ...

70s Album Cover

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1970s

Earning such wide renown, Ahmad was quickly introduced to the best of Afghanistan’s music scene by the thrilled recording studios. Working with such veteran mentors as now late saxophonist Ustad Ismail Azami, trumpeter Ustad Nangalai and Abdulla Atamadi Dramest other composers such, Salim Sarmast, Naynawaz, Taranasaz, and Mas'hour Jamal, he had recorded by the late 70s over 22 albums. His songs were noted for their mellifluous tone, poetic style, compelling depth, and passionate emotional evocation. Creating an aesthetic vocabulary in dealing with joy, love, pain, and loneliness in his music that is seen as unparalleled by other Afghan singers. Covering such wide range of subjects, his music had a multi-dimensional lure. Most of this songs were autobiographical. The Music Scene is part of the Demoscene. ... A recording studio is a facility for sound recording. ... A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. ... A trumpeter may be one of several things: A trumpeter is a musician who plays the trumpet. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ...

After 1970, some years he released more than two albums; and by 1973 (1352 of Afghan Calendar), his popularity had developed into a national frenzy. Dominating all the media of Afghanistan, the Ahmad Zahir Subject was the headlines of magazines and radio stations. His concerts became sold-out festivities where fawning fans would jostle in packed concert halls to get a glimpse of the singer. A headline is text at the top of a newspaper article, indicating the nature of the article below it. ... A Concert hall is a cultural building, which serves as performance venue, chiefly for classical instrumental music. ...

By the mid 70s, Ahmad Zahir's fame had matured and his popularity spilled over national boundaries. At the formal invitation of Empress Farah (then ruler of Iran), he sang the famous melody "Banu Banu" in her honor which he performed in the Royal Court of Iran. After returning to Afghanistan following his well received Iran tour, Ahmad Zahir was conferred the national Singer of the Year award. In his acceptance speech, he advised aspiring singers that "Ghorur shikast hunari bar mewarad…riqabati hunari bayad sahlim bashad nah hasahdat amiz” (vanity brings failure to artistry…competition in arts needs to be void of envy). Farah Pahlavi Empress Farah of Iran during the visit of U.S. president Richard Nixon to Iran on May 30, 1972. ... Royal court (as distinguished from a court of law) may refer to a number of institutions: A noble court - the household or entourage of a monarch or other ruler The Royal Court of Jersey - the main court of justice of Jersey The Royal Court of Guernsey - the main court of...

Toward the latter part of 70s, his iconic image transformed to that of a national hero, with his fans celebrating him as Conqueror by Music. In this time period he also became devout patriot as many of his songs from this time period reflect his strong political views. Sir Galahad, a hero of Arthurian legend In many myths and folk tales, a hero is a man or woman (the latter often called a heroine), traditionally the protagonist of a story, legend or saga, commonly possessed of abilities or character far greater than that of a typical person, which... An ideology is a collection of ideas. ...

Ahmad Zahir Personal Site

Political controversy

With the rise of various political factions in the late 70s, Ahmad Zahir became conscious of the socio-political transformation of Afghanistan. Some of his radical songs such as "Zindagi akhir sarayad" conveys the views of a revolutionary artist. His next song "Ilahi man namedanam" played on the radio stirred controversy for its politically provocative lyrics. According to government insiders, the song's verse "Tu padshah-e haft kishwar" drew criticism from the government. The administration assumed Ahmad Zahir had denounced President Daoud Khan who was also minister of numerous cabinet positions. Soon radio stations banned the song due to the political pressure levied by the government. Image File history File links Azalbumcover2. ... Image File history File links Azalbumcover2. ... A political faction is presently an informal grouping of individuals, especially within a political organisation, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with some kind of political purpose (referred to in this article as the “broader organisation”). It may also be referred to as a power... For other uses, see Politics (disambiguation). ... Revolutionary, when used as a noun, is a person who either advocates or actively engages in some kind of revolution. ... Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan[1] (July 18, 1909 – April 28, 1978), son of Sardar Mohammed Aziz Khan and grandson of Sardar Mohammed Yusuf Khan was an Afghan statesman and President of the Republic of Afghanistan from 1973 until his assassination in 1978 as a result of a revolution led by...

Then in April 1978, the republic was replaced by dictatorship led by President Taraki and eventually by Hafizullah Amin. In recordings of his upcoming albums, he voiced his protest against the Taraki-Amin regime in at least three songs: "Safar bih roshenahi" and "Chi mulk ra baad" and "Bigzarad bigzarad." In the last song, he referred to Taraki as Tariki (Persian: darkness), making a mockery of the new political leader. Dharmeratnam Sivaram Taraki Sivaram or Dharmeratnam Sivaram (11 August 1959 – 28 April 2005) was a popular Tamil journalist of Sri Lanka. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... “Farsi” redirects here. ...

Death

Ahmad Zahir's life came to an end on the morning of June 14, 1979, his 33rd birthday. Zahir was on the Salang pass Highway when reportedly he was involved in a so called automobile accident that caused his death but soon after Ahmad Zahir's body was brought back to Kabul some of his closest friends said that Ahmad Zahir was accompanied with a man and a women when he left Kabul to head to the North of afghanistan for picnic but this friend seems to be a fraud and worked for Pakistani intelligence and was payed to kill ahamad zahir to give the newly communist regime a bad name.also who was with Ahmad that sad day and is to be believed to been involved in Ahmad Zahir's murder by being payed off by Army Officer Taroon who was assigned to (Get rid of Ahmad Zahir), in order to give the newly formed communist regime a bad name. Others say that Hafizullah Amin killed him, because his daughter was in love with him, and Ahmad Zahir was someone who never stayed with one girl. is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... . ... For other places with the same name, see Kabul (disambiguation). ...

Foul play and conspiracy

To this day, there is no solid agreement as to what exactly caused Ahmad Zahir's death. While some theorize the windy roads of Salang as the main cause, others cite alcohol as the culprit. However, a growing body of evidence accumulated suggest possibly foul play on behalf of the antagonized political figures or possibly in-laws involvements. Some doctors, who later re-examined Ahmad Zahir’s body after autopsy, concluded he was also shot in the head. As to when he was shot, before or after the accident, could not be determined. Salang is the name of several locations: Afghanistan Salang mountains Salang tunnel Salang pass Salang river Salang district of Parwan province Salang, Malaysia, a tourist village, bay, and beach at Tioman Island Salang, Indonesia, a tourist village, swamp south of the Sulu Sea Salang, Thailand, a tourist village for scuba... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Foul Play is a 1978 comedy/thriller film by Colin Higgins (the director of the cult classic Harold and Maude) starring Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase. ... Post-mortem, postmortem and post mortem redirect here. ...

Theories have emerged as to possible suspects in Ahmad Zahir’s murder, if classified as such. They are 1) Taraki-Amin regime henchmen whom he had condemned in his songs, 2) the powerful family of his second wife who were unhappy with his liberal lifestyle.

Legacy

Ahmad Zahir’s fame has not been compared to any previous singer in Afghanistan’s history, earning him as Afghanistan’s Nightingale title. His status has been unrivaled even 27 years after his death (as of 2006). Posthumously granted the status of a luminary, the renditions of his songs serve to this day as voice and music training lessons for the aspiring singers. As a matter of fact, in performances of other popular Afghanistani singers, there is always a request for an Ahmad Zahir song. Often others’ voice command is evaluated based on Ahmad Zahir’s standards, a reference point to whom the new singers are measured. He is still celebrated as the most popular Afghanistani music phenomenon and, for many, the purest embodiment of modern Afghan music. Image File history File links Azalbumcovery. ... Image File history File links Azalbumcovery. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The luminaries were what traditional astrologers called the two astrological planets which were the brightest and most important objects in the heavens, that is, the Sun and the Moon The Sun and Moon were well-established rulers of the other planets, in accordance with the ancient doctrine of astrology of... A reference point is a location that is used in measurement of a huge variety of phenomena. ... Since the 1980s, Afghanistan has been involved in near constant violence. ...

With over 22 albums (not including the improvised recordings) in less than 15 years, he has more songs to his credit than any other Afghanistani singer. His albums are still outselling all other Afghanistani singers both inside and outside Afghanistan. He is widely popular in Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikestan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Turkey. National anthem Surudi milli Official language Tajiki-Persian Capital Dushanbe President Emomali Rahmonov Prime Minister Akil Akilov Area  – Total  – % water Ranked 92nd  143,100 km²  0. ...

Personal life

Ahmad Zahir married twice . He and his first wife divorced in 1973, at the zenith of his career. Little is known about the reason of this split but it is widely speculated his celebrity status was consuming their marriage. Ahmad Zahir remarried in 1977 and he left behind two children, a son (first marriage) and a daughter from his second marriage) both of whom live in the United States.

Trivia

• He sampled a number of Italian tunes, a few are from composer Nino Rota including a tune from Fellini's film I Vitelloni
• The majority of his songs are autobiographical
• He was a fan of Sarban whose songs he sampled
• He & his first wife Najia were divorced because of Ahmad Zahir's celebrity status was taking a toll on his personal life and certain gossip of him having affairs with different women. He is also an Afghan, NOT AFGHANISTANI-a term that Sitam E Milli Communist Tajik groups have constructed to destroy Afghanistan.

• One of Ahmad Zahir's noted albums, and some can argue "the best album" in terms of Western musical arrangement, was Ahmad Zahir with The Stars in 1977; it took 16 late nights of recording at the Music Center studios in Kabul (source Azam Parvanata, lead guitarist of The Stars)
• His son was born in Seattle, Washington while he and his wife Najia were on vacation
• He highly respected John Lennon
• However, he was the only one who could sing by a talent and centuries will pass, but no one will come as he came to the music world.

Nino Rota (December 3, 1911 – April 10, 1979) was an Italian composer best known for his work on film scores, notably The Godfather series and the films of Federico Fellini. ... Federico Fellini (January 20, 1920 – October 31, 1993) was a famous Italian film-maker and director. ... I Vitelloni (English: Vitelloni) is a 1953 Italian and French film directed by Federico Fellini. ... Category: ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ...

Disography and other Info

He has 14 albums under The Afghan Music label, 2 albums under Ariana Music, 5 albums under Music Center, and more then 10 privately recorded studio albums through 1965 - 1979.

• Afghan Music #1 (Dilak- am) - 1967
• Afghan Music #2- (Bahar) - 1967
• Afghan Music #3- (Shab ha ye zulmane) - 1968
• Afghan Music #4-(Mother)- 1969
• Afghan Music #5- (Awara) 1969
• Afghan Music #6- (Ghulam-e Qamar) - 1970
• Afghan Music #7- (Sultan Qalbaam) - 1970
• Afghan Music #8- (Az Ghamat Hy Nazaneen) - 1971
• Afghan Music #9- (Gulbadaan) - 1971
• Afghan Music #10- (Yaare Bewafa) - 1971
• Afghan Music #11- (Lylee) - 1971
• Afghan Music #12- (Ahmad Zahir And Jila) - 1972
• Afghan Music #13- (Ahange Zindagee) - 1972
• Afghan Music #14- (Shab-e Hijraan) - 1973

Note: that most of his Afghan music albums have other songs that should go with the original albums but because of the time and space on audio cassettes a lot of his songs are moved from the original recordings. If people have the original vinyl records then they have all of the songs that should be placed on the albums.

NOTE: The dates on these albums are questionable. For example, his last album "Afghan Music #14" was released three months after his death in August 1979. Yet according to the above dates, album "Afghan Music # 14" is released in 1973! The dates need to be to updated with accurate dates.

• Ariana Music #1- (Daard-e Dil) - 1973
• Ariana Music #2- (Mosum-e Gul) - 1974

Note: For people who have the original Ariana records for Ahmad Zahir there are many hidden tracks in the original albums.

• Music Center #1 (Neshe Gashdum) - 1974
• Music Center #2 (Ashiq rooyat Mon) - 1975
• Music Center #3 (Lylee Jaan) - 1976
• Music Center #4 (Ahmad Zahir Ba Sitara Haa) - 1977
• Music center #5 (To Baamanee) - 1978 (completed in 1978 but released in 1979 after his death)

• He has over 10 Private recording albums from 1965 - 1978
• He only recorded 2 music videos in Radio Kabul TV.
• Laylee Jaan in 1976 and Khuda buwat yarret in 1977
• It is said that he has several music videos and a concert recorded on video in Iran.
• It is rumored that Ahmad Zahir has a concert and majliss that Radio Kabul had recorded but the Khalq regime destroyed the recordings.

Khalq (Masses) was a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan. ...

References

• Muted Musicians See Hope in Young Performers. Afghanistan Online. Retrieved on 27 August, 2005.
• Afganistan. Almaty or Bust. Retrieved on 27 August, 2005.
• Review of Anthology of World Music: The Music of Afghanistan. Delusions of Adequacy Reviews. Retrieved on 28 January, 2006.
• Afghan Music Before the War. Mikalina. Retrieved on 27 August, 2005.
• Sakata, Hiromi Lorraine (1983). Music in the Mind: The Concepts of Music and Musician in Afghanistan. Kent State University Press. ISBN 0-87338-265-X. 

External links

• Huge collection of Ahmad Zahir songs, albums and videos
• Listen to complete albums and songs of Ahmad Zahir + videos
• Ahmad Zahir Official Fan Site
• Complete collection of 27 Ahmad Zahir albums
• Ahmad Zahir Site
• Ahmad Zahir Fanclub
• Afghan Music Songs MP3 Videos Album Artists
• AhmadZahir.net