Biography
Wadih El Safi (Arabic: وديع الصافي, November 1, 1921 – October 11, 2013) was a Lebanese singer, songwriter, composer and actor, the most distinguished singer of his time.
Born in Nicha, Lebanon, he began his career at seventeen when he won a singing contest sponsored by Radio Lebanon. El Safi began composing and performing songs based on his rural upbringing and love of traditional melodies, combined with an urban sound. In this way, he created a new style of modernized Lebanese folk music.
Wadih El Safi composed hundreds of songs and has sung over 5000. He has performed and recorded with many well-known Lebanese musicians such as Fairouz and Sabah. In 1947 El Safi traveled to Brazil where he remained until 1950. He toured the world, singing in many languages including Arabic, French, Portuguese and Italian, accompanied in his later years by his son George.
In 1990, Wadih El Safi underwent open heart surgery with the support of the Syrian government. In 2012, he broke his leg and had to undergo surgery to repair the fracture. After the surgery, his health deteriorated rapidly. On October 11, 2013, he fell ill at his son's home and was rushed to the Medical Center where he died.