{{short description|Iranian pop singer (1946–2020)}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Ramesh | image = Ramesh (Persian Singer).jpg | caption = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Azar Mohebbi-Tehrani | birth_date = {{birth date|1946|11|13|df=yes}} | birth_place = Tehran, Imperial State of Iran | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|11|28|1946|11|13|df=yes}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | instruments = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}} | genre = {{hlist|Persian traditional|Iranian pop|jazz|Iranian rock}} | years_active = 1964–2003 | label = {{hlist|Caltex Records|Avang Music}} }} '''Azar Mohebbi-Tehrani''' ({{langx|fa|آذر محبی تهرانی}}, 13 November 1946 – 28 November 2020), better known by her stage name '''Ramesh''' ({{lang|fa|رامش}}), was an Iranian singer.<ref>{{cite web|title=رامش خواننده قدیمی درگذشت + علت مرگ|url=https://www.shomanews.com/بخش-فرهنگ-هنر-فوری-مهمترین-اخبار-فرهنگ-هنر-10/970369-رامش-خواننده-قدیمی-درگذشت-علت-مرگ|website=Shoma News|access-date=2020-11-30|language=fa}}</ref> She performed songs across a variety of genres, including pop, jazz, and rock.<ref name="Hassan">{{cite web |last=Amrayi |first=Hassan |title=مرگ رامش در غربت: همچو آوای نسیم پرشکسته |url=https://www.independentpersian.com/node/102681/فرهنگ-و-هنر/مرگ-رامش-در-غربت-همچو-آوای-نسیم-پرشکسته?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1606874573 |access-date=2 December 2020 |work=Independent Persian}}</ref>

== Life == === Early life === Ramesh was born on 13 November 1946 on Pasteur Street in Tehran to a family with four children.<ref name="Firouze">{{cite web |last=Ramezanzadeh |first=Firouze |title=گفتگویی به یاد رامش؛ آن گونه که بود و آنچه آرزو داشت… |url=https://kayhan.london/fa/1399/10/19/گفتگویی-به-یاد-رامش؛-آنگونه-که-بود-و-آنچ |access-date=11 January 2021 |work=Kayhan London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Peyman |first=Jamshid |title=رامش (آذر محبی) و من! |url=https://hambastegimeli.com/ديدگاه-ها/82200-جمشید-پیمان-رامش-آذر-محبی-و-من |work=Hambastegi Meli |access-date=2 December 2020}}</ref> Her father, Nasser Mohebbi-Tehrani, worked at the customs of Mehrabad Airport, and her mother was named Aghdas E'tesami.<ref name="Firouze"/> Ramesh earned a diploma in natural sciences and with the encouragement of her father wanted to pursue a career in medicine until she met musician Ata'ollah Khorram after which she decided to become a singer.<ref>{{Citation|title=آواهای کم‌شنیده از دیروز تا امروز • رامش {{!}} DW {{!}} 06.12.2018|url=https://www.dw.com/fa-ir/art-culture/av-46602216|accessdate=2020-11-30|language=fa-IR|first=|last=|date=2018-12-06}}</ref><ref name="Firouze"/>

=== Personal life === In 2015 and in an interview with ''Javanan'' magazine in Los Angeles, Ramesh stated that after the 1979 revolution she married a non-Iranian man when she moved to the UK.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/arts-55129011|title=رامش خواننده پاپ ایرانی درگذشت|publisher=BBC Persian|date=30 November 2020|access-date=2020-12-01|language=fa|website=}}</ref> Her sister, Giti Mohebbi, confirmed her account by stating that she had been married to an Englishman though the marriage ended in divorce with no children.<ref name="Firouze"/>

In September 2024, Shahram Shabpareh claimed in an interview with Kambiz Hosseini on Iran International that he married Ramesh in a bid to assist her with her move to the United States even though she was a lesbian.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Q30cZpteE&t=242s|title=مصاحبه شهرام شبپره با کامبیز حسینی|publisher=Iran International|date=26 September 2024|access-date=}}</ref>

=== Stage name === Ramesh's stage name was chosen for her by musician Dawud Pirnia as there was another artist named Azar active on stage at the time.<ref name="Goli">{{cite web|last=Yahyavi|first=Goli|title=مصاحبه رامش با گلی یحیوی تلویزیون جام جم|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfD_2wuTFDY|publisher=Jame Jam TV}}</ref>

== Career == [[File:Ramesh performing in dinner party -Kermanshah.jpg|thumb|Ramesh performing for the Community of Press and Printing Houses in Kermanshah]] [[File:Ramesh+Googoosh.JPG|thumb|Ramesh and Googoosh on the cover of ''Ettela'at Haftegy'', 1973]] Ramesh stepped into the world of music with a focus on Persian traditional music and officially began her career on 1 April 1965 with the song "Parastoo Jaan" composed by Lobat Vala on the segment ''Yek Shakhe Gol'' on the radio program ''Golha''.<ref name="BBC"/>

Her song "To Barooni To Aftabi" was written by Mina Assadi to a composition by Esfandiar Monfaredzadeh and released in 1972. The song was performed only once on ''Friday Morning Radio'' and it was later reported that Assadi had written the song as a tribute to Abbas Meftahi, a member of the Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas.<ref name="Hassan"/>

Ramesh also performed the song "Payiz", written by Forugh Farrokhzad, to a composition by Hossein Ali Mallah.<ref name="Hassan"/> In an interview she counted this song, along with "Zaer", as the two best songs of her career.<ref name="Goli"/>

In 1973, she made her cinematic debut with the movie ''Khialati'', but did not appear in any films afterwards.<ref>{{cite web|title=رامش، خواننده محبوب سال‌های دور، درگذشت‎|url=https://www.radiofarda.com/a/30976139.html|website=Radio Farda|access-date=2020-12-01|language=fa|date=30 November 2020}}</ref>

From the fall of 1981, Ramesh recorded songs such as "Tehroon" and "Ghorbat", many of which were not eventually published. Two songs, titled "Tehroon" and "Goftogoo-ye Sabz" were released as part of the album ''Bahare Ghariban'' in the spring of 1982. They were later re-released along with her other works as albums distributed by Caltex Records.<ref name="Firouze"/>

== Death == Ramesh died of cardiac arrest on 28 November 2020 in Los Angeles and was buried 13 days later at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the presence of fellow artists.<ref>{{cite web|title=رامش، خوانندهٔ زن پیش از انقلاب درگذشت|url=http://www.ensafnews.com/270450/رامش،-خواننده‌ی-زن-پیش-از-انقلاب-درگذ/|website=Ensaf News|date=30 November 2020|access-date=30 November 2020|language=fa}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=رامش خواننده مشهور ایرانی، در ۷۵ سالگی درگذشت|url=https://www.radiofarda.com/a/30976300.html|website=Radio Farda|date=30 November 2020|access-date=30 November 2020|language=fa}}</ref>

Reza Pahlavi, the former Crown Prince of Iran, issued a public statement following her death, sending his condolences to her family and fans.<ref>{{cite web |title= «رامش» درگذشت |url=https://kayhan.london/fa/1399/09/10/رامش-درگذشت |access-date=2 December 2020 |work=Kayhan London}}</ref>

== Discography == thumb|Ramesh on the cover of ''Dokhtaran Pesaran'', 1977 === Studio albums (recorded before 1979) === {| class="wikitable" !Title !Year !Label |- |''Darya Darya'' | rowspan="5" |1994 | rowspan="5" |Caltex Records |- |''Tohmat'' |- |''Adamak'' |- |''Dagh Dagh'' |- |''Tehroon'' |- |''Lahze-haye Entezar'' |2024 |Pars Video |}

=== Studio albums (recorded after 1979) === {| class="wikitable" !Title !Year !Label |- |''Bahare Ghariban'' |1982 |Zahrkhand |- |''Jahane Sevvom'' |1995 |Avang Music |- |''Rumi: The Beloved Is Here'' |2003 |Dbf Records |}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{commons category|Ramesh}} * [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fDiPm7RFIZx73fNwnLOxR Ramesh] on Spotify

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Category:1946 births Category:2020 deaths Category:20th-century Iranian women singers Category:Iranian singer-songwriters Category:Iranian women pop singers Category:Kurdish-language Iranian singers Category:Persian-language Iranian singers Category:Singers from Tehran