To complete his first album, Zahir worked with other Afghan composers, some becoming life-long mentors, friends, and even co-collaborators, including Nainawaz, Taranasaz, Nashenaz, Mashour Jamal, Salim Sarmast (who were rooted mostly in traditional Afghan music, and used traditional Afghan instruments), as well as Abdullah Etemadi, Nangalai, and Ismail Azami (who used mostly Western instruments, the drums, trumpet, and saxophone, respectively). At The Kabul Times, Zahir met and befriended many of his colleagues who encouraged him to continue pursuing his dreams as a musician. After completing his degree in India and returning to Kabul, instead of embarking on a career in teaching, Zahir started working as a journalist for the state-run English language print newspaper- that is still in circulation today- The Kabul Times. ![]() Upon graduation, he continued his education and pursued a degree to become an English teacher, studying in India. Once Zahir had graduated from high school, he enrolled at the Teacher’s College of Kabul, also known as Daru-l’ Malimeen. With his highly emotive, baritone voice, Zahir earned the nickname “ Bulbul-e-Habibia ” or the Nightingale of Habibia High School and the band gained popularity around the school, and around Kabul. Omar Sultan on the guitar, Farid Zaland on the congas, Akbar Nayab on the piano and Ahmad Zahir-front-man, singing and playing the accordion. He formed a band with his schoolmates from Habibia High School, in the Karte-Se disctrict of Kabul. However, Zahir knew form an early age that music was something he wanted to pursue, teaching himself the guitar (both electric and acoustic), harmonium, and his favorite, the accordion, by the age of 16. His mother, was a homemaker, while Zahir’s father held numerous jobs within the government including the royal court’s official doctor, Ambassador, Minister of Health, a speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister from 1971-1972, and even helped write the 1964 revised constitution of Afghanistan.Ĭoming from such a well to do Pashtun family, connected to King Zahir Shah, music would not be the first career choice for Ahmad Zahir, due to the slightly peculiar position musicians held in Afghan culture- a country that regards music very dearly, yet regards the profession of making music as “low class”. He was one of four siblings, with two sisters, Zahira and Belquis, and one brother, Asif. ![]() Abdul Zahir in Kabul, on the 24 th of Jauza 1325, according to the Jalali calendar, his family was ethnically Pashtun, from the Laghman province east of Kabul. ![]() Though his career was short, his discography and influence over Afghan music and the hearts of Afghans the world over has been timeless.īorn to Quraisha Rassa and Dr. Ahmad Toryalai Zahir ( احمد توريالی ظاهر) was an Afghan singer, songwriter, composer, and musician.īorn on June 14 th 1946, Ahmad Zahir is probably the most famous celebrity of Afghanistan- often referred to as “the Elvis Presley of Afghanistan” not just because of his sideburns, good looks and charisma, both on and off-stage, but also because, like Elvis, he came into a music industry, and left it completely changed forever.
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