Artzi’s schoolmates thought he would become an actor, not a musician. However, at the age of 12 he started playing the guitar and singing in a boy scouts group. During his military service, Shlomo Artzi sang for the successful Army Group, to later record a single. Surprisingly, he won the first prize in a song contest with his song Pitom Achshav, Pitom Hayom (Suddenly Now, Suddenly Today), also known as Ahavtiha (I loved her). After the Army, he worked hard to become a well-known musician and sang everywhere he could. In 1975 he was selected to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest. The selected song was At Ve’Ani (You and Me), composed by the legendary Israeli singer and songwriter Ehud Manor. To catch the moment, Artzi recorded a whole new record in less than 2 weeks. However, At Ve’Ani didn’t win the contest, and the album was a big disappointment. In 1976 Shlomo Artzi recorded a selection of his best songs from the period 1970-1973. Two years later, he finally gave up. He recorded He Lost His Way, a sort of last good-bye to the business. Nevertheless, the album was a big success and opened a new door to Artzi’s career. In 1979 he recorded Drachim (Ways), with a fresher style. His 1981 LP Chatzot (Midnight) was the second part of Drachim. In 1980 Artzi started his own radio show on Israel’s Army Radio, Galey Tsahal. In this show, he talks about the week’s headlines and tells interesting stories he has heard or seen during the week. Od Lo Shabat (It isn’t Saturday yet) is still broadcast every Friday at 13:10 local time. His records Tirkod (Dance, in 1984), “Layla Lo Shaket” (Restless Night, in 1986), and Chom Yuli August (July August Heat, in 1988), are milestones of Israeli songwriting in the eighties. In 1995 the best Israeli musicians recorded together a CD in memory of Yitzhak Rabin. Shlomo Artzi played two songs during the memorial service, which later became anthems of those days — Haish Hahu (That Man) and Uf Gozal (Fly Little One), which is written by Arik Einstein. In 1996 with singer Rita he recorded a CD called Shnayim (Two), which has sold 160,000 copies. Containing his best love songs, Artzi released Ahavtihem (I Have Loved Them). His album Tzima’on (Thirst), released in 2002, sold 150,000 and remains one of Israel’s biggest bestsellers. In early 2005 Shlomo Artzi announced his new album Shfuim, to be released later in the year. Songs from this album, as well as every song Artzi has ever recorded, will be available in both ringtone and truetone versions for exclusive downloading by the Israeli mobile phone company Cellcom customers.| |
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