Today (Dec. 7) marks the 75th birth anniversary of the legendary Egyptian musician and composer Ammar El-Sherei.
El-Sherei was a gifted artist in the Arabic music scene. He was born on 16 April 1948 in the village of Samalot in Upper Egypt to a large family of Al-Shereis. Unfortunately, he was born blind, and his development depended on sound.
His parents moved to Cairo when he was five years old and enrolled him in the Demonstration Centre for the Rehabilitation and Training of the Blind (DCRTB), a special-needs school. It was the only institution providing education to blind children in the Middle East at the time.
The DCRTB offered Oriental music education, and Al-Sherei was enrolled in a boarding school for primary, preparatory, and secondary stages. He pursued his university studies at Ain Shams University's English Department. Al-Sherei's musical gift was apparent from his early days at school, and several teachers helped him develop his passion for music.
Al-Sherei spent 10 to 12 hours a day practicing oud, piano, or accordion, studying all aspects of music. During his years spent at the DCRTB, he performed in a variety of locations across Cairo and continued to perform even when he departed for the university.
He graduated in 1970, but he kept performing with a group of colleagues doing small gigs here and there, joining numerous bands.
Al-Sherei started composing while still at school and wrote music for over 50 films and 120 television series, working with many renowned Egyptian directors.
His scores were awarded numerous prestigious Arab and international awards. He also composed over 150 songs for most of the major music stars of the Arab World, including Warda, Latifa, and Ali El-Haggar.
Iconic musician and composer El-Sherei passed away in 2012 due to heart failure.
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