Abu Bakr Salem

Abu Bakr Salem

Abu Bakr Salem Balfaqih (Arabic: أبو بكر سالم بلفقية) (17 March 1939 – 10 December 2017) was a Yemeni-Saudi singer, poet, and composer of Hadhrami origins. He is also nicknamed 'Abu Aseel, The Father of Khaliji Music (Arabic: أبو الغناء الخليجي) and 'the one with the golden larynx' (Arabic: صاحب الحنجرة الذهبية). Abu Bakr is known in the Arab world by his unique voice.Some of Abu Bakr's patriotic odes to Yemen celebrated historical events such as the abolition of the monarchy in the north in 1962, the independence of the south in 1967, and the unification of both the South and North Yemen in 1990, as well as songs in honour of his home region, Hadhramaut. In addition to the Yemeni nationality, Abu Bakr also held Saudi nationality after he moved to Saudi Arabia in the 70's. He worked with other Khaliji music pioneers including Talal Maddah, Tariq Abdul-Hakim and Shadi Gulf. His last release was a duet with young Yemeni singer and winner of the “Khaleeji Star” (a singing competition on the television) Fouad Abdulwahed.

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