The renowned and veteran Ethiopian singer Tilahun Gessesse died at the age of 68 on Sunday night in Addis Ababa.
Tilahun, who has been getting threatment for diabetes in the United States, returned home to Ethiopia to join his friends and family for the Easter holiday. It was reported that Tilahun was complaining about pain in his heart on Sunday night and he passed away as he was being taken to a hospital.
The national television and several FM radio stations in Ethiopia began playing his songs in tribute and fans called to express their sorrow as well as honor the legendary vocalist. According to his family, Tilahun always wished his death would be on Ethiopian soil.
Tilahun, who sang songs both in Amharic and Afaan Oromo, was born on September 29, 1940 to Gete Gurmu and Gessesse Negusse. His music interest began while he attended Ras Gobena Elementary School in Waliso town, the base of Ethiopian Patriot Gurassu Duke during Italian occupation, and Tilahun was later hired by Hager Fikir Theater to start his career.
He produced several of his hit songs during the days of Emperor Haile Selassie I, as the lead singer in his imperial bodyguard band.
Tilahun sold millions of albums singing about love, family, unity and country. He has been a dominant figure in Ethiopian music and will receive a state funeral later this week. Tilahun was given a Honorary Doctorate Degree from Addis Ababa University for his contribution to music during his five decades of career and he received an award for lifetime achievement from the Ethiopian Fine Art and Mass Media Prize Trust.
Every body, now, hold your balls together and say goodbye to the man,
Why everybody crying hard as if they are programed to express the same feelings or as if everybody in Ethiopia died. The man lived a life that is full, atleast compare to the ordinary Ethiopians, sure got laid by the most ethiopian hoties and frankly the man is 68 yaers old. How many Ethiopians do you know that lived that long.
Ladies and gentale men in this blog, am gonna ask you to men up about it before our neighbors found out how weak and a nation of emotion therefore pick on us.
May be he was not on my fevorite list of singers, but sure am gonna cry hard for Ali Birra and i can not wait for him to day.
Now walk out this funeral blog and perform your daily taxes.
Tilahun Gessesse the legend. Since the great Abebe Bikila and Laurete Tsegaye G/Medhin, and this is not to forget educatrs Drs Getachew Bolodia, Eshetu Chole and professor Asrat Weldeyes or writers Kebede Mikael and Haddis Alemayehu or artists Bizunesh Bekele and Minilik Wosnachew; statesmen and patriots like Mikael Emeru and colonel Abdissa Aga, just to mention a few who passed away in my life time...
Tilahun Gessesse's death did hit me the hardest.
You lived like a king all over Ethiopia Tilye. There is not even one Ethiopian out of the 80 millions of us who hasn't heard of your sudden death. The nation is mourning.
Tilahun Gessesse the legend. Since the great Abebe Bikila and Laurete Tsegaye G/Medhin, and this is not to forget educatrs Drs Getachew Bolodia, Eshetu Chole and professor Asrat Weldeyes or writers Kebede Mikael and Haddis Alemayehu or artists Bizunesh Bekele and Minilik Wosnachew; statesmen and patriots like Mikael Emeru and colonel Abdissa Aga, just to mention a few who passed away in my life time...
Tilahun Gessesse's death did hit me the hardest.
You lived like a king all over Ethiopia Tilye. There is not even one Ethiopian out of the 80 millions of us who hasn't heard of your sudden death. The nation is mourning.
condolence to the families and friends of the beloved artist and to rectify the disabuse of scribes by the Abyssinian corners for the sake of setting straight his story.
Daanadanaa Ayyanoo was born at Gannatto river basin locality to his mother Geettee Gurmu and his biological father Ayyaano Guddataa in Ammayya sub districs (woreda) in Wolliso Awurajja, Shawa.
Gessesse Negussee was a mikitil woreda gazh in Ammayya at the time Daandanaa/Tilahun was school boy at Gindo, the capital of Ammaya. He was christened by his God-father Asres Eshete who was the mayor of Gindo. Mr. Tesfaye Eshete, the first director of Ammyya elementary school who was the brother of Asres Eshete changed Dandanaa’s name to Tilahun GESSESSE
