Bizunesh Bekele: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Ethiopian soul music singer (1936–1990)}}

| birth_date = {{birth year|19361946}}

'''Bizunesh Bekele'''<ref name="allmusic">{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=bezunesh-bekele-mn0003104722|label=Bezunesh Bekele}}</ref> ({{Lang-am|ብዙነሽ በቀለ}}; 1936 – 25 June 1990) was an Ethiopian soul singer who was popular in the 1960s and 1970s of [[Ethiopian Golden Age of music|Golden Age]]. She was referred to as "[[Aretha Franklin]] of Ethiopia" due to similitude of musical style. Her songs were released in her native [[Amharic language]]. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.academia.edu/44753675 |title=Life & Work of Bizunesh Bekele ብዙነሽ በቀለ (1936-1990) |last=Mekonnen |first=Timkehet Teffera |date=2020 |website=academia.edu |publisher=academia.edu |access-date= |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/audio/?all=true&fa=subject:popular+music%7Clocation:ethiopia%7Ccontributor:bekele,+bzunesh|title = Search results from Audio Recording, popular music%7Clocation:ethiopia%7Ccontributor:bekele, bzunesh|website = [[Library of Congress]]}}</ref>

Bizunesh Bekele was born in 1936. After joining [[Kebur Zabagna]] Band, by her friend persuasion, she hosted ''Tikil Radio'' entertainment program in 1957, became prominent in the era. In the interview with ''Music, Theatre, Art'', Bizunesh did not released albums by 1969.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2012-05-04 |title=The First Lady of Ethiopian Music {{!}} Horizon Ethiopia Blog |url=https://horizonethiopia.net/2012/05/04/the-first-lady-of-ethiopian-music/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |language=en-US}}</ref> Bizunesh recorded popular songs in the 1970s such as "Chenk Tibeb" and "Ayasayegn Chinkun". She sang in the [[Amharic language]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/audio/?all=true&fa=subject:popular+music%7Clocation:ethiopia%7Ccontributor:bekele,+bzunesh|title = Search results from Audio Recording, popular music%7Clocation:ethiopia%7Ccontributor:bekele, bzunesh|website = [[Library of Congress]]}}</ref> She sometimes performed with the [[Gurage]] singer [[Mahmoud Ahmed]] in [[Amharic]]. They were both known for appearing with the Imperial Body Guard Band or the Dahlak Banb.

She has been called the "[[ArethaMariam FranklinMakeba]] of Ethiopia"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Getahun |first1=Solomon Addis |author-link= |last2=Kassu |first2=Wudu Tafete |author-link2= |date=2014 |title=Culture and customs of Ethiopia |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/culture-and-customs-of-ethiopia/oclc/862575349|location=Santa Barbara,California |publisher=Greenwood |page=176 |isbn=|oclc=862575349 }}</ref> and the "First Lady of Addis Ababa".<ref name="Briggs2015">{{cite book|author=Philip Briggs|title=Ethiopia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gU_fCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA76|date=22 October 2015|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-84162-922-3|pages=76–}}</ref>

Bizunesh first married Kaburto Kebur Zabegna member Constable Nuru Wondeafrash, who served in the [[Korean War]]. Bizunesh was Christian while her husband was Muslim. The second marriage was from Mohammed EdrisEndris, a young journalist. In the latter life, Bizunesh suffered from health deterioration with many argued that she had hearing impairment that prevent to perform in the tour of U.S., and inability to sing after brief recovery. She died in 1990 before her second trip in U.S. for her medical follow-up.<ref name=":0" />