Ethiopia: Mahmoud Ahmed - Hebo

Mahmoud Ahmed is a magnificent Ethiopian singer. Born in Addis Ababa (May 8, 1941), he was shining shoes in that city before becoming a handyman at the Arizona Club, where he first sang professionally in the early 1960s. He sang for the Imperial Body Guard Band until 1974, and recorded with other bands for the Amha and Kaifa record labels throughout the 1970s. He opened his own music store in Addis Ababa's Piazza district during the 1980s while he continued his singing career.

In addition to the Imperial Body Guard Band, Mahmoud has sung with the Ibex Band, the Venus Band, the Walias Band, the Idan Raichel Project, and the Roha Band over the course of his career. Since the late 1990s he has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in Europe and the Americas since Buda Musique launched the Ethiopiques series on compact disc, leading to new recordings and tours in Europe and the United States with Boston's Either/Orchestra & Badume's Band.

In the following video we hear this Ethiopian legend in a song which has the title "Hebo". For everyone who wants to see another live version of the same song, he (or she) may go here.

"Hebo"... An Ethiopian diamond...