Avraham Fried

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Avraham Fried

| image = Avraham Fried 4.jpg

| image_size =

| alt = Need a freely licensed or public domain image

| native_name = אברהם פריד

| native_name_lang = he

| birth_name = Avraham Shabsi (HaKohen) Friedman

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1959|3|22}}

| origin = New York City

| death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}

| genre = Orthodox pop

| occupation = Singer, songwriter, musician

| instrument = Vocals

| years_active = 1981–present

| label = Sameach, Aderet

| associated_acts =

| website = [http://www.Avrahamfried.com Avrahamfried.com]

[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avraham-Fried/112434012101631 Facebook Page]

}}

Avraham Shabsi Hakohen Friedman ({{langx|he| אברהם שבתי הכהן פרידמן}}; born March 22, 1959) better known by his stage name, Avraham Fried,{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/the-new-black-music-1.274109|title=The new black music|last=Toker|first=Nati|date=April 16, 2009 |newspaper=Haaretz|access-date=February 1, 2010}} is an Orthodox Jewish American singer.

Career

Fried was encouraged towards a music career by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the rebbe of Lubavitch,{{Cite interview |last=Fried |first=Avraham |subject-link=Avraham Fried |interviewer1=Nachi Gordon |interviewer2=Momo Bauman |title=The Story of Jewish Music Legend, Avraham Fried {{!}} Meaningful People #82 |type=Video |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=25Dsoz3nFyQ&pp=ygULI3NpYW5vdG91cm8%3D |access-date=2025-01-09 |publisher=Meaningful Minute |via=YouTube |date=2022-06-16}} Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum, Mordechai Ben David and producer Sheya Mendlowitz.{{Cite web |last=Scarr |first=Cindy |date=2021-03-03 |title=Dream It, Do It |url=https://mishpacha.com/dream-it-do-it/ |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=Mishpacha Magazine |language=en-US}} Fried began his career with the release of his first album No Jew Will Be Left Behind in 1981. The title song was composed by Yossi Green and the song "Kel Hahodaos" was written by Rabbi Baruch Chait of Kol Salonika & The Rabbis' Sons.{{cite web|url=http://www.connectionsmag.co.il/articlenav.php?id=1132 |title=The Sheya Mendlowitz Story |last=Solomon |first=Lenny |publisher=Connections |access-date=2009-10-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721134945/http://www.connectionsmag.co.il/articlenav.php?id=1132 |archive-date=2011-07-21 }} Music was by the Zimriah Orchestra and arrangements by Marty Lewinter. Fried went on to collaborate with Sheya Mendlowitz and Yossi Green on eight albums.{{cite web |url=http://clevelandjewishradio.tripod.com/green.html |title=Interview with Yossi Green |date=23 November 2003|access-date=26 November 2013|publisher=Cleveland Jewish Radio}} Green is credited with some of Fried's biggest hits, including "Aderaba", "Tanya", and "Didoh Bei".{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ydmtk2HGrcAC&pg=PA194 |page=194|title=Jews of Brooklyn|first1= Ilana |last1=Abramovitch|first2=Seán |last2=Galvin|publisher=UPNE|year=2002|isbn= 1584650036}} (note 2) Fried also collaborated most notably with arranger Moshe Laufer over the years, but worked with a number of other arrangers including Marty Lewinter, Yisroel Lamm (the Neginah Orchestra), Suki Berry, Mona Rosenblum, Hershel Lebovits, Yaron Gershovsky, and others.{{fact|date=March 2021}}

Avremel, as many of his friends call him, had appeared as a guest soloist on the Amudai Shaish Orchestra's Kol Sason V'kol Simcha - Wedding Album in 1981. During that same year he appeared as special guest star on Suki With a Touch of Ding II - Wedding Album. He also appeared as an adult soloist on the Amudai Shaish Boys Choir's third album (their second double album), in 1982. He also sang on a number of all-star cast albums produced by Suki & Ding.{{fact|date=March 2021}}

In summer 2009, Fried made a concert tour in Israel where he introduced Israeli singer and composer Chanan Yovel and featured the songs "Rak T'filla" ("{{lang|he|רק תפילה}}") and "U'Nesane Tokef" ("{{lang|he|ונתנה תוקף}}").{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

Musical style

His music is mostly categorized as pop Jewish music,[http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1188392499096&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull Jerusalem Post, August 30, 2007]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} similar to Mordechai Ben David and tends to integrate many styles of popular music, including pop, rock and jazz, with Jewish lyrics and themes.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} He also has a few "cantor" style songs on most of his albums, as well as many songs written in Yiddish.{{fact|date=March 2021}}

Family background

Fried's grandfather, Rabbi Meir Yisroel Isser Friedman, was the head of the Bobov Eitz Chaim Yeshiva in Krenitz, a renowned halakhist, and a Hasid of the Rebbe of Bluzhov. After World War II he resided in Crown Heights for many years, before moving to Borough Park, Brooklyn. His father, Yaakov Moshe Friedman, was originally a Hasid of Bobov, and worked as an administrator at the United Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Crown Heights for 40 years.

Fried is the youngest of eight children of the Friedman family. He has five brothers and two sisters. Fried and his siblings were all educated in Lubavitcher institutions, becoming Lubavitcher Hasidim. His brothers are all involved in Chabad outreach; his brother, Rabbi Manis Friedman, is an author, lecturer and shaliach (emissary) in St. Paul, Minnesota.Bensoussan, Barbara. "Speaking to the Soul: Rabbis Manis and Benny Friedman use their talents to awaken the pintele Yid". Mishpacha Special Supplement: "A Father to Follow". Pesach 5771 (Spring 2011), pp. 18-25. Benzion and Eliyahu are shlichim in Overland Park, Kansas, and Safed, Israel, respectively. Yossi works at the Kehot Publication Society and Shlomo at Lubavitch Youth Organization. Two sisters, Feige Green in Florida and Ita Marcus in California, are also engaged in outreach.

His nephews include Jewish singers Benny Friedman (son of Manis), Eli Marcus & Shmuel and Bentzi Marcus (sons of Ita) of 8th Day, and Simche Friedman (son of Eliyahu).Besser, Yisroel. "On the Wings of a Song". Mishpacha, March 20, 2013, pp. 84-101.{{cite web |date=Jun 9, 2016 |title=You've Never Heard Such a Kaddish |url=http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=40883 |access-date=2018-06-12 |website=COLlive |publisher= |language=en-US}}

Fried and his wife have six children and they live in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He is a Kohen.

Charity appearances

Fried has appeared several times in the annual A Time for Music HASC concert to benefit HASC (Hebrew Academy for Special Children), an organization that provides Jewish children with disabilities the chance to live a normal lifestyle. He most recently appeared in the 37th HASC concert, which took place at NJPAC in New Jersey on January 7, 2024. Avraham was the headline performer along with Mordechai Ben David and others at the Ohel [Organization] concerts in Madison Square Garden during the late 1990's.

Discography

No Jew Will Be Left Behind (1981)
The Time is Now (1982)
Forever One (1983)
Melaveh Malka with Avraham Fried (1984)
Goodbye Golus (1985)
Around the Year Volume 2 (1986)
The Good Old Days (1986)
We Are Ready (1988)
Around the Year Volume 3 (1989)
Aderaba (1991)
Yiddish Gems Volume 1 (1992)
Shtar Hatnoim (1993)
Yiddish Gems Volume 2 (1994)
Brocha V'Hatzlocha (1995)
Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim (2 CD's) (1996)
Hupp Cossack! (1996)
Hebrew Gems Volume 1 (1997)
Hebrew Gems Volume 2 (1997)
All the Best (compilation of songs on Suki & Ding Albums) (1997)
Chazak! (1997)
The Baal Shem Tov's Song (1998)
My Fellow Jew - Yochid V'rabim (2001)
Avraham Fried Live! (2 CD's) (2001)
Avinu Malkeinu (2003)
Bein Kach U'vein Kach (2006)
My Father's Zemiros - The Zemiros of R' Yaakov Moshe Friedman (2008)
Yankel Yankel (2009)
30 Hits, One Collection (compilation album) (3 CD's) (2009)
Live In Israel (2 CD's) (2009)
Keep Climbing (2012)
Ah Mechayeh! (2013)
Bring the House Down (2016)
Kama Tov Shenifgashnu - The Israeli Album (2017)
Project Relax with Avraham Fried (2020)
Project Relax with Avraham Fried 2 (2022)

=Other solos and singles=

1971: Eliyohu Hanovee & V'hu Rachum (child solos) [part of Eli Lipsker albums]
1971:V'nikeisi (child solo) [part of S'dei Chemed International Vol. 1] (also heard on Goodbye Golus)
1972: Hakshiva (child solo) [part of Pirchei sings Al Chomosayich]
1976: V'hi Sheamdah (solo) [part of Nichoach vol. 8]
1980: A Moment of Meditation (Arukah M'eretz Midah) & Gam Ki Eileich (singles) [part of Amudai Shaish Wedding Album] (first promo for the Jewish music scene)
1981: V'hu K'chasan & Asher Bara/Chaim Shetehei Banu (singles) [part of Suki with a Touch of Ding 2; re-released as The Greatest Wedding Collection 2]
1981: Hodu Lahashem & Bo'ee V'shalom (solos) [part of Kol Naim Choir Sings the Best of Chaim Banet] (as Avraham Friedman)
1982: Shuvi Nafshi, Habot'chim, Pikudei & Mi Ho'ish (solos) [part of Amudai Shaish Boys Choir Volume 3]
1983: Al Kein Tzion (single) [part of Yerushalayim All-Star Cast]
1985: His'halelu, Stoliner Niggun, & Hashem's the World (singles) [part of Torah All-Star Cast]
1984: Pikudei Hashem & Ki L'cha Tov (singles) [part of Simcha All-Star Cast]
1986: [Album] Zelig Lider sings Sholom Aleichem (background vocals)
1987: Kol Rina & Keili Atah (singles) [part of Hallel All-Star Cast]
1987: Prok Yas Anach & Racheim B'chasdecha (solos) [part of MBD and Friends]
1987: You're Never Alone, Yiboneh, & Hisoriri (solos) [part of Holyland's Greatest Hits, re-released as You're Never Alone]
2002: Aleh Katan Sheli (single)
2003: Moriah (single) [part of Mona 4]
2005: Ani Choshev Aleichem (single)
2007: Galei (single) [part of Afikoman (Oorah)]
2008: Ma Oshiv (single) [part of Harei Yehudah]
2008: Ge'ulah Sheleimah (single) [part of Kosher L'Pesach Bagels (Oorah)]
2008: Hesech Hada'as (solo) [part of The 8th Note]
2009: Rak T'filla (single)
2009: Haazinu (solo/single)
2009: The Song of Miracles (single)
2010: Ki Hirbeisa (single)
2010: Kinor (single) [part of Shmorg 2 (Oorah)]
2010: Bar Yochai (single) [part of Kdai R' Shimon Bar Yochai - Teem Productions]
2010: Hu Yivneh Bayis (single) [part of Hamenagnim, Fried and Friends]
2011: Kama Tov Shenifgashnu (single)
2014: Racheim (single) [part of Shir]
2014: Oid Oid Oid (single) [part of The 2nd Dance 2]
2015: Boruch Haba (single) [part of 6 All New Songs]
2015: Ptach Libcha (solo/single)
2015: Greit Zich (single)
2016: Riboin Ho'olomim (single)
2016: V'zakeinu (single) [part of Shabbat HaMalka 3]
2016: Ata V'chartonu & Kad Yasvun (singles) [part of Shir 2]
2016: Shuva Hashem (single) [part of Tzamah 3]
2017: Maher (single)
2017: Al Hasela (single) [part of Tzamah 4]
2017: The Beinoni, Arba Bavos & Nyeh Zhuritze (singles) [part of The Nigunim]
2018: Pikudei Hashem (single)
2018: Mizmor L'soda (single) [part of Matana Tova]
2019: Aba (single)
2020: OhToToh (single)
2021: Mameh (single)
2023: B'korov Mamash (single)
2025: Layehudim (single)

References

External links

{{Official website|https://www.avrahamfried.com/}}
[https://www.facebook.com/AvrahamFried.Official Avraham Fried Facebook Page]
[http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media.asp?AID=254238 Listen to 4 complete albums for free]

Category:American Hasidim

Category:Israeli Hasidim

Category:Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidim

Category:American male singer-songwriters

Category:Israeli male singer-songwriters

Category:Israeli singer-songwriters

Category:Jewish Israeli musicians

Category:Jewish American songwriters

Category:20th-century Israeli Jews

Category:21st-century Israeli Jews

Category:Hasidic entertainers

Category:Yiddish-language singers of the United States

Category:Living people

Category:1959 births

Category:Hasidic singers

Category:Orthodox pop musicians

Category:20th-century Israeli male singers

Category:21st-century Israeli male singers