Nasri Shamseddine

Nasri Shamseddine (1927 - 1983) The Lebanese singer Nasri Shamseddine was born on June 27, 1927 in Joun, a small village in Mount Lebanon. He inherited his vocal talents from his mother and started singing at the age of six. He took part in choirs and plays at school, and he taught himself how to play the oud. Nasri finished high school, and then started to teach. However, because he associated everything with music, it was without surprise that he was fired for singing to his students in class.Throughout the years, Nasri continued to try new jobs, but lost them due to his love of music. In 1950, when he was twenty-three, Nasri traveled to Egypt, which at the time was the musical center of the Arab world. There, he worked on his vocals and also became more familiar with playing the oud. Upon his return to Lebanon, Nasri applied for a chorus position at a radio station. This was where he met Fairouz and the Rahbani brothers, and started working with the famous singer. The duo sang together on radio stations before heading to the theater. They performed together in 1957 in Baalbak as well as in the Cedars of Lebanon. In 1967, Nasri and Fairouz started their annual musicals at the Picadilly Theater in Beirut. He also performed in Beyt Eddine with Sabah, Wadih Al Safi, Majdala and many others. Still though, Nasri remained unsatisfied, so he took on a solo career as well as major roles in three movies. Additionally, in order to be recognized internationally, he traveled to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America. He declared that his favorite country was Brazil. Nasri adhered to the Lebanese dialect in his songs, which was very attractive to the common Lebanese public who were mostly from the countryside and mountainous regions. However, Nasri’s singing career was an uphill battle. Even though he grew up in a small town and his surroundings were not very supportive of his career choice, his determination helped him find the success he desired. His career as a singer, performer and actor continued for thirty years. Today, , his songs, movies, and plays are still broadcasted all over the world. Nasri Shamseddine had always dreamt of dying on stage and his dream became a sad reality when he suffered an aneurism on stage in Damascus, Syria on March 18, 1983. Nasri Shamseddine is a legend, with a unique voice that has no equivalence. He is considered to be one of the greatest Arab singers of all times, and he will never be forgotten.