{{Short description|Israeli singer-songwriter (1960–2017)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = Meir Banai | native_name = מאיר בנאי | native_name_lang = Hebrew | image = File:Meir Banai 5.JPG | alt = | caption = Banai in 2013 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1960|7|5}} | birth_place = Jerusalem, Israel | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2017|1|12|1960|7|5}} | death_place = Hemed, Israel | spouse = | children = 2, including Noam Banai | relatives = Banai family | resting_place = | years_active = 1981–2017 | signature = | occupation = Singer-songwriter | module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes | background = solo_singer | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|piano|drums}} | genre = {{hlist|Israeli pop|Israeli rock}} | label = {{hlist|CBS Records International|NMC Music}} }} }}
'''Meir Banai''' ({{langx|he|מאיר בנאי}}{{lrm}}; 5 July 1960 – 12 January 2017) was an Israeli musician, singer, and songwriter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/meir_banai |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714160642/http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/meir_banai |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2012 |title=Albums by Meir Banai |publisher=Rate Your Music |accessdate=21 July 2011 }}</ref>
==Biography== Meir Banai was born in Jerusalem in 1960, the son of Yitzhak Banai, to a traditional Jewish family which has produced various actors and singers, such as<ref name="jpost.com">{{cite news|url=https://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1201070771244&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter|title=Sabra Sounds: Meir Banai Returns|publisher=Fr.jpost.com|date=23 January 2008|accessdate=21 July 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511161023/http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1201070771244&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter|archivedate=11 May 2011}}</ref> Orna Banai, Eviatar Banai, Ehud Banai, Yuval Banai, and Yossi Banai.<ref>{{IMDb name|0051528}}</ref>
In 1999, he and Arkadi Duchin collaborated on a very successful recording. Tal Sondak, who represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001, says that Banai was one of his musical influences. In March 2004, Banai made his U.S. debut at Makor in New York City.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}
''Shma Koli'' (''"Hear My Voice"'') in 2007 was a CD packed with traditional Jewish texts and prayers. The arrangements are based on traditional tunes but have been given a modern infusion. The single, ''"Lech Elay"'' became a hit as soon as it was released.<ref name="jpost.com"/> ''Haaretz'' wrote that Banai, in composing some of the songs on his "excellent 'Jewish' album", created an upswing in the melody at key points in songs, in which the speaker/narrator lifts up his eyes to the heavens and calls upon God. As of February 2008, ''Shma Koli'' had sold more than 15,000 copies, according to NMC figures).<ref>{{cite news|last=Sukenik|first=Tamar|url=https://www.haaretz.com/culture/arts-leisure/can-t-buy-me-album-sales-1.238760|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101011132551/http://www.haaretz.com/culture/arts-leisure/can-t-buy-me-album-sales-1.238760|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 October 2010|title=Can't buy me album sales|newspaper=Haaretz|date=2 April 2008|accessdate=11 January 2014}}</ref>
In February 2008, the Israeli lottery, Mifal HaPayis, announced that Banai was a winner of the ''Landau Award for Stage Arts'', an award for excellence in the Arts. After not appearing together on stage for a decade, Arkadi Duchin and Banai performed together in April 2009. He released ten albums.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.last.fm/music/Meir+Banai|title=מאיר בנאי – Discover music, videos, concerts, stats, & pictures at|publisher=Last.fm|date=11 February 2009|accessdate=21 July 2011}}</ref>
==Death== Banai died from esophageal cancer on 12 January 2017 in Hemed at the age of 56.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4905656,00.html|title=מאיר בנאי הלך לעולמו בגיל 55|newspaper=Ynet|date=12 January 2017|accessdate=12 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Singer-Meir-Banai-dies-at-55-478327#article=6017Q0Y5MzA5QUYxOTM5OENCNTg4NTk5RTZBNkUzMUZDMEY=|title=Singer Meir Banai dies at 56|author=Brinn, David|accessdate=13 January 2017|date=13 January 2017|work=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref>
==Discography== thumb|Banai in 2013
===Albums=== *''The First Album'' (1984) *''Rain'' (1987) *Impressions Live (1988) *''The Colors Change/Changing Colors'' (1990) *''Including/In Between'' (1992) *''The Wandering Tune'' (1996) *''Heart Cracked/Fractured Heart'' (2001) *''How Much Love'' (2002) *''Shma Koli'' (2007) *Collections
==See also== *Music of Israel
==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Banai, Meir}} Category:1961 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Singers from Jerusalem Meir Category:Israeli pop singers Category:Israeli male singer-songwriters Category:Israeli people of Iranian-Jewish descent Category:Jewish Israeli singers Category:Jewish Israeli songwriters Category:Deaths from esophageal cancer in Israel Category:Burials at Har HaMenuchot Category:20th-century Israeli male singers Category:21st-century Israeli male singers Category:20th-century Israeli singer-songwriters Category:21st-century Israeli singer-songwriters Category:20th-century Israeli Jews Category:21st-century Israeli Jews