{{Short description|Ethiopian singer and percussionist (1944–2024)}}{{Patronymic name}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Sources|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist | honorific_prefix = | name = Getachew Kassa | honorific_suffix = | image = Getachew Kassa.jpg | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | native_name = {{nobold|ጌታቸው ካሳ}} | native_name_lang = am | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|09|6|df=y}} | birth_place = Addis Ababa, British-occupied Ethiopia | origin = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|2|21|1944|9|6|df=y}} | death_place = Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | label = {{hlist|Amha Records|Kaifa Records|Philips Records}} | genre = {{Hlist|Ethio-jazz}} | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|musician}} | instrument = {{hlist|Accordion|saxophone| vocals}} | years_active = 1960s–2024 | associated_acts = {{hlist|Walias Band|Fetan Band|Alemayehu Eshete}} | website = }}
'''Getachew Kassa''' (Amharic: ጌታቸው ካሳ; 6 September 1944 – 21 February 2024) was an Ethiopian jazz singer and percussionist. He rose to famous during the 1960s and 1970s, after performing at the country's famous clubs, the Sombrino and Axum Hall. His music features in the Éthiopiques album series, alongside other musicians of the Ethiopian Golden Age.
==Early life== Getachew Kassa was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Empire on 6 September 1944.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ጌታቸው ካሣ discography – RYM/Sonemic|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/ጌታቸው-ካሣ|access-date=2021-12-03|website=Rate Your Music|language=en}}</ref> He began singing at the age of six, despite being discouraged by his parents. His early influences included Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte and popular Italian songs. He occasionally started to sing for his friends and at home.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Teweldebirhan|first=Seble|date=6 August 2018|title=Getachew Kassa|url=https://www.ethiobiography.org/getachew-kassa/|access-date=2021-12-03|website=Ethio Biography|language=en-US}}</ref>. He adopted his stage name, “Kassa,” inspired by a suggestion from a friend.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://addisinsight.net/farewell-to-a-giant-remembering-getachew-kassa-ethiopias-musical-treasure/ | title=Farewell to a Giant: Remembering Getachew Kassa, Ethiopia's Musical Treasure | date=21 February 2024 }}</ref>
==Career== As a young man, he started playing with a band called Fetan Band – or Speed Band – at the Patrice Lumumba Bar in Wube Berha in the 1970s. Getachew established himself as one of the most accomplished<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/amha-eshete-pioneer-ethiopias-music-industry|title=Amha Eshete: Pioneer of Ethiopia's music industry|date=20 June 2016|publisher=}}</ref> Ethiopian musicians of the period.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Getachew|title=Getachew Kassa and his Tezetas|url=http://www.ethiopiaobserver.com/2016/12/getachew-kassa-and-his-tezetas/|website=The Ethiopia Observer|date=19 December 2016 |accessdate=20 December 2016}}</ref> Notable songs include "Addis Ababa",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ethiozeima.com/2009/02/04/addis-abeba-getachew-kassa/|title=Addis Abeba – Getachew Kassa|date=5 February 2009|publisher=}}</ref> "Tiz Balegn Gize", "Yekereme Fikir", "Bertucan nesh lomi" "Bichayan Tekze" "Agere Tizitash". He played for various groups, such as the Sehebelles, the Venus Band, and later with the Walias Band, alongside Hailu Mergia and Girma Bèyènè. His songs "Tezata - Slow" and "Tezeta - Fast" were featured on the album ''Éthiopiques, Vol. 10: Ethiopian Blues & Ballads''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ethiopiques-vol-10-tezeta-ethiopian-blues-ballads-mw0000220152|title=Ethiopiques, Vol. 10: Tezeta – Ethiopian Blues & Ballads – Various Artists – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic|website=AllMusic}}</ref> Getachew was hired to play the accordion for 15 birr a night at The Sombrino club, a popular venue in the 1960s and 1970s. While working there, he met the prominent singer Alemayehu Eshete and performed many of his singles. Subsequently, he moved to another famous club called Axum Hall, playing for Venus Club and Taytu Hotel, thereafter quickly rose to fame,<ref name=":0" /> in part due to his fast and slow tezeta songs.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Getachew|title=Getachew Kassa and his Tezetas|url=http://www.ethiopiaobserver.com/2016/12/getachew-kassa-and-his-tezetas/|website=The Ethiopia Observer|date=19 December 2016 |accessdate=20 December 2016}}</ref>
Getachew moved to the United States in 1981,<ref name=":0" /> and lived there for many years. In the mid-1980s, he toured through country and drew attention to the fate of the people who had been struck by the famine in Ethiopia. After publishing his first CD in 1983, he briefly returned to Ethiopia, before again living in the U.S. from 1991. His self-image as a "world citizen" brought him the status of an illegal immigrant. He returned to live in Ethiopia in 2012.
In 2000, Ethio-Sound released an album ''The Best of Getachew Kassa'', a 12 track CD of his greatest works throughout his career. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Getachew-Kassa-The-Best-Of/release/10383915|title=Getachew Kassa – The Best Of|website=Discogs}}</ref> Getachew was a part of the Stay Strong Project's Stay Strong Orchestra alongside Alemayehu Eshete<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.staystrong.listros.de/menu/meilensteine/|title=STAY STRONG UNTIL: MEILENSTEINE|website=www.staystrong.listros.de}}</ref> and a songwriter and singer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.staystrong.listros.de/menu/stay-strong/team/|title=STAY STRONG UNTIL: TEAM|website=www.staystrong.listros.de}}</ref>
==Death== Getachew died in Addis Ababa on 21 February 2024, at the age of 79 after battling a long illness. He was hospitalized at Yekatit 12 Hospital.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Legendary singer Getachew Kassa dies aged 80 – Ethiopian Press Agency |url=https://press.et/herald/?p=91043 |access-date=2024-03-12 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024 |title=Ethiopia's Iconic Singer, Getachew Kassa, Dies at 80 |url=https://ebc.et/english/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=5953 |archive-date=22 February 2024 |access-date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222002314/https://ebc.et/english/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=5953 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A funeral was scheduled for the following day and his body was cremated at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa.<ref>{{cite news |title=እውቁ ድምፃዊ ጌታቸው ካሳ አረፈ |url=https://mereja.com/amharic/v2/913554 |access-date=23 February 2024 |publisher=Mereja |date=21 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fortune |first=(Addis) |title=Getachew Kassa, the Maestro Who Sang Ethiopias Soul, Dies Aged 85 |url=https://addisfortune.news/getachew-kassa-the-maestro-who-sang-ethiopias-soul-dies-aged-85/ |access-date=2024-03-12 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Discography== {| class="wikitable" |+Singles and EPs !Title !Year !Label |- |'Bichayene Tekezie" |1970 |Amha Records |- |"Tizita" |1972 |Amha Records |- |"Yene Alem"/'Wededkuh Maletish Layker" |1974 |Philips Records |- |'Birtukan Wey Lomi"/"Gofere Hugnilign" |1975 |Philips Records |- |"Endihim Endihim" |1976 |Kaifa Records |} {| class="wikitable" |+Compilations !Title !Year !Label |- |''The Best Of'' |2000 |Ethio-Sound |}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{discogs artist|Getachew Kassa}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Getachew Kassa}} Category:1944 births Category:2024 deaths Category:20th-century Ethiopian musicians Category:20th-century Ethiopian male singers Category:Musicians from Addis Ababa