By: Fistum Getachew
Whenever we talk about modern Ethiopian music, one man stands out prominently and head and shoulders above all others and for many is ‘the greatest of all time.’ This man is Artist Tilahun Gessesse, often referred to as the ‘Voice’ or the ‘Golden Throat’! He has set a new standard for what Ethiopian music should look like.
We celebrate the life of this distinguished and beloved artist on the occasion of his birthday, which coincides with the Ethiopian religious festival called Meskel, although twenty-six years have passed since he left us physically. But we always remember him through his priceless songs. In fact, we can say that there is no day in which one of the radio and TV stations in the country does not play a Tilahun Gessesse song, as there are all sorts of songs that can match with any occasion and any festival or ceremony. There are no subjects that Tilahun has not addressed with one of his songs; such are the varieties of his performance that suit any occasion.
Tilahun Gessesse’s artistic life began at a very early stage when his talent was discovered by a certain Eyoel Yohannes, who then recruited him to a national theatre where he made his debut. It was clear that he had immense talent and passion for music and he used to sing for his friends at a very early stage of his childhood. He was reputed for his performance. Many say that Tilahun Gessesse did not only have a natural gift to sing but also had a lot of luck, as he benefited from the compositions of equally gifted authors of melodies and lyrics. Tilahun Gessesse and his associates have characterized what is usually referred to as the ‘golden age of Ethiopia’s modern music.’ There is a unanimous consensus on the fact that Tilahun Gessesse has become the most admired and loved of all artists for his exceptional talent and performances for decades.
Tilahun Gessesse began his career as a vocalist at a very early age after being discovered by a talent scout who brought him to Addis from Welisso, a city about 120 km from Addis, where he was born on 27th September 1940. He was recruited at the Hager Fikir Theatre, where he soon secured admiration and appreciation as the emerging star of Ethiopian music. He made his mark immediately in the Ethiopian musical scene. It did not take him a lot of time before impressing the audience with his special voice and becoming easily the number one in the field and the most cherished vocalist.
Tilahun Gessesse had everything it takes to be an accomplished artist. He had the good looks required so that he was presentable to the public. Most importantly, he had a special voice; he could manage it the way he liked, flexing it with any kind of intonation and melody. He was a man for all weathers and all seasons and this is accompanied by immense passion for the art. He sang wonderful love songs but he could also sing very sad and melancholic songs where he led his audience to tears. At times he sang full of emotion, shedding tears all over his face, pushing his audience to do the same.
His patriotic songs are very famous and have often been used to motivate and inspire people to mobilize for any kind of military mission for the defense of the motherland. We remember his active participation on the eastern front of the war when Ethiopia was invaded by Somali forces of Siad Barre in the nineteen seventies. Similarly, he was on the battlefront to encourage and entertain the Ethiopian military forces that were engaged in the defense of the country during the Ethio-Eritrean War in the later years of the 1990s.
Tilahun, who was once a member of the artistic department of the famous and prestigious Imperial Body Guard of the Emperor, would dress up as a soldier when performing for the army, looking like one of them and transmitting his emotion to his ‘special audience.’ Tilahun has also taken part in countless fundraising events when the money is required for some important charitable activity, like helping the displaced during droughts and all those who would need assistance in other circumstances. He always took part in such operations voluntarily and the results have always been outstanding. Tilahun and his colleagues have also been part of the group that toured the world to show Ethiopia’s cultural heritages, particularly through musical performance and traditional as well as modern dances, introducing Ethiopia to the world.
Tilahun has been taken as a role model for emerging artists and has always been universally rated as the best Ethiopian musical voice and a true ambassador to Ethiopian musical performance. In fact, besides singing in Amharic, he also performed wonderfully in Afan Oromo, especially traditional beats. Every vocalist dreamed of being another Tilahun Gessesse. To date, many say that no one has come forward to match the talent and artistic capacity of Tilahun Gessesse no matter how hard they try because they say he is a unique talent that cannot be replaced.
What is also very special and exceptional about Tilahun is that he reigned over Ethiopia’s musical scene for decades without ever compromising the quality of his voice and songs, without lowering the standard of his performance. Few artists have endured for decades at such a level like Tilahun Gessesse and that is considered by many as virtually unattainable.
Today only the veteran artist Mahmoud Ahmed can be considered as the vocalist that would match the standard and appreciation of Tilahun Gessesse, also because he continued to shine for decades. In fact, Mahmoud has been heard saying that his role model was Tilahun Gessesse, who later became his dear friend, besides being a special colleague. They have performed together on numerous platforms in front of elated audiences. In fact, any event in which Tilahun Gessesse and Mahmoud Ahmed were featured was seen as the maximum Ethiopian music could present. Tickets would be sold out immediately and it would be a huge celebration for Ethiopian music.
In short, by all standards and parameters, Tilahun Gessesse has been considered a sparking phenomenon in the Ethiopian modern musical scene. In fact, artist Tilahun has received countless recognitions, accolades, and appreciation certificates from celebrated organizations and institutions, including notably an honorary doctorate degree from Addis Ababa University.
When he passed away on April 19, 2009, at the age of 68, he was honored by the presence of hundreds of thousands of his admirers and fans along with his family members, relatives, and friends. Tilahun Gessesse has left an enormous and shining legacy with his hundreds of wonderful and memorable songs, which have now become a part of the life of every Ethiopian who is lucky enough to be his contemporary. But even the current young generation, who were born after his death, do admire his works and have become very familiar with them thanks to the countless social media networks that feature his shows and performances.
