Mohammed al Amin محمد الأمين | |
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 Mohammed al Amin and his band in concert | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1943-02-20)20 February 1943 Wad Madani,Anglo-Egyptian Sudan |
| Died | 12 November 2023(2023-11-12) (aged 80) U.S. |
| Genres | Music of Sudan,Arabic music |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Voice,oud |
| Years active | 1963–2023 |
Mohammed al Amin, (Arabic:محمد الأمين; 20 February 1943 – 12 November 2023), sometimes spelledMohamed Elamin orEl Amin, was a Sudanese popular musician noted for his personal style of singing, his playing of the oud, and his often outspoken lyrics.[1] Subjected to politicalrepression by Sudanese governments, he tookexile in Cairo in 1989 and only returned to Sudan several years later.
Born inWad Madani, central Sudan, in 1943, al Amin started singing and learning to play theoud at the age of 11, and wrote his first compositions at the age of 20. Throughout his career, he mostly wrote his own lyrics, but at times also used the words of well-knownSudanese poets like Fadlallah Mohamed orMahjoub Sharif. After the successfulrevolution of October 1964, he composed the song"The Epic of October".[2]
Several times, his patriotic and critical songs evoked the suspicion of the military dictatorships of the day, and he was jailed byNimeiri's regime in the 1970s. To avoid further trouble, he moved toCairo after themilitary coup in 1989. In 1994, he returned toKhartoum and kept a low profile, despite his great popularity that led him to appear in concerts in the United Arab Emirates, Europe, China or the US.[1][3]
In his study"Framing Political Content in Sudanese Popular Songs", Mohamed A. Satti cites al Amin's songRaja' al balad (He returned home) as an example of allegiance of a Sudanese in exile and of his belonging to the nation, even after an absence of many years.[4] - A more personal insight into his lyrics, speaking about domestic scenes that could have happened in any country, is presented in the songal jarīda - (The Newspaper) from his albumVoice of Sudan, recorded after a concert inBerlin, Germany, in 1993.[5]
Mohammed al Amin died in the United States on 12 November 2023, at the age of 80.[7]
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