Shlomo Artzi () (born 1949) is an Israeli folk rock musician, composer, music producer, radio host and singer-songwriter. He is one of the most popular and successful musicians in Israel.
Biography
Shlomo Artzi was born on Moshav Alonei Abba. Artzi's parents were Holocaust survivors and their memories deeply influenced him and his sister Nava Semel, a playwright. His father, Yitzhak Artzi, a Zionist activist in Bukovina, Romania in his youth, was later a member of the Knesset. His maternal grandmother was the sister of Rabbi Meir Shapiro.
When Artzi was eight years old, his family moved to north Tel Aviv. Artzi's schoolmates thought he would become an actor, not a musician, as he was known for his acting skills at elementary school. However, at the age of twelve, he started playing the guitar and singing in a boy scouts group and at friends' parties. Artzi has been married twice and has three children from his first marriage: Ben Artzi (singer), Shiri Artzi (author married to Yiftach Klein), and Jonathan Artzi.
Artzi resides in Ramat Gan. He is a fan of the football club Maccabi Netanya and composed its championship song in 1971.
Music career
1960s
At age 16, he began writing and composing songs. As the Sinai Duo, he started performing before soldiers, along with his classmate Rivka Menashe (now known as Riki Gal).
During his military service, Artzi was recruited to the Artillery Corps, and after serving for a year and a half, he joined Lehakat Kheil Hayam (Israeli Navy Band). While in this band, he took part in the programs "And on the Third Day" and "Rhapsody in Blue", alongside other soon-to-be Israeli celebrities, such as Rivka Zohar, Dov Glickman, Avi Uriah and Riki Gal. He was yet to stand out during the first program. By the second program, he became the lead singer and one of the main stars. He sang lead vocals on several songs on the Group's LPs.
1970s
In 1970, Artzi competed in the Israel Song Festival. Still in military service and wearing a military uniform, he sang Pitom Achshav, Pitom Hayom (Suddenly Now, Suddenly Today), also known as "Ahavtiha" (I loved her). The song, written by Tirza Atar and composed by Ya'akov Hollander, won first prize. It was included in his first album, Shlomo Artzi, which came out in 1970, and came in first in the annual chart-toppers countdown of Kol Israel. Artzi was voted Singer of the Year.
In 1975 he was selected to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest. The selected song was At Ve'Ani (You and Me), written by Israeli songwriter Ehud Manor, and composed by Artzi himself. "At Va'Ani" won 11th place.
Over the next few years, Artzi's records did not sell well and he produced few hit singles. Most of these albums became rare collectibles. In 1977, he made "A Man Gets Lost" (גבר הולך לאיבוד, Gever Holekh Le'ibud) whose success convinced Artzi to continue singing. His fame rose throughout the 1980s and reached a peak with the release of the albums "Dance" (Tirkod) and "Restless Night" (לילה לא שקט, Layla Lo Shaket) which sold tens of thousands. He began to appear in the country's largest parks and theatres. In 1979 he recorded Drachim (Roads), with a fresher style. His 1981 LP "Khatzot" (Midnight) was the second part of "Drachim".
1980s
In 1980 Artzi hosted his own radio show on Israel's Military Radio station, Galgaley Tzahal. In this show, he talked about the week's headlines and told interesting stories about things he heard or saw during the week. "Od Lo Shabat" (It's not Sabbath yet) was broadcast on Fridays.
His records "Tirkod" (Dance, 1984), "Layla Lo Shaket" (Restless Night, 1986), and "Khom Yuli August" (July-August Heat, 1988) albums sold hundred thousand copies, and his live shows at Israel's largest concert venues were fully booked.
1990s
In 1992 Artzi released Yareakh (, Moon), one of his most successful albums. Out of twelve songs on it, eight became radio hits and finally solidified Artzi's status in Israeli popular music.
In 1995 popular Israeli musicians recorded a CD together in memory of Yitzhak Rabin, named "Shalom Chaver". Shlomo Artzi played two songs during the memorial service, which later became anthems of those days – "Haish Ha'hu" (That Man) and "Uf Gozal" (Fly Little Bird), which was originally written and recorded by Arik Einstein and Miki Gavrielov.