Zion Golan - Biography

Zion Golan (b. 1955), also known as Tzion Golan, is an Israeli singer of Yemeni origin.

Background

Most of Golan's songs are in Yemeni Arabic. Many songs are from Yemen and are also sung by contemporary Yemeni singers. He also sings some songs in the ancient Yemeni dialect of Hebrew.

Personal life

Golan was born to Yemeni immigrants in Ashkelon, Israel. A modern Orthodox Yemenite Jew, Golan currently lives with his wife and three children (two girls, one boy) in the Ahuzat Etrog neighborhood of Merkaz Shapira.

Worldwide reach

Though contact with Israel is banned in Yemen, his records have managed to reach the Yemeni public via the underground, selling around 2,000 records per album release. According to an interview in Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Golan was set to give a performance in Yemen a couple of years ago, and visas were to be issued by the Jordanian embassy in Tel-Aviv, but the concert was canceled because of concerns for Golan's family. Most of his early work is credited to the music written for Psalms by Rabbi Shalom Shabazi in Yemen, which were developed according to traditional Yemeni musical culture.

Discography

• l'Ahoi Banei Teimon, 1992 (To my Yemeni brothers)
• Salem Salem, 1995
• Abba Shalom Shabazi, 2000
• m'Teiman l'Yisrael, 2001 (From Yemen to Israel)
• Eshorer Shir, 2001?
• Arahem ya Rabi, 2004
• Mahrozot Niflaot v'Duetim, 2005