Mahmoud Ahmed

From humble beginnings (he worked as a shoeshine boy and kitchen porter), the Ethiopian singer Mahmoud Ahmed parlayed a powerful vocal talent into a long-running and influential career. After performing with the prestigious Imperial Bodyguard Band during the 1960s, he recorded the first of many albums in 1972. His fame spread to Europe in the mid ‘80s with the release of a compilation of his ‘70s work, which gave Western listeners their first exposure to his multi-octave voice and blend of international and East African musical styles. He is still artistically active in the mid-‘00s in Addis Ababa, and owns both a record label and a nightclub.