SANTA MONICA, Calif.—Acclaimed Armenian singer and performer Adiss Harmandian has died. His family announced that Harmandian peacefully passed away at the UCLA Santa Monica Hospital on September 1 after a 15-year struggle with cancer. He was 74 years old.
Harmandian, who was born on January 14, 1945 in Beirut, broke into the music scene in Beirut in the 1960s with the song “Dzaghigner” (Flowers) and never looked back. Many of his early hits, written by songwriter Hasmig Manasserian, made Adiss a household name in every corner of the Armenian Diaspora.
During his career, Harmandian recorded some 40 albums (more than 400 songs), many of which became hits throughout the Armenian Diaspora, becoming a pioneer of what is referred to as “estradayin” genre of Armenian popular music.
His hits include “Nune,” “Ayl Acher Gan,” “Karoun Karoun,” “Mdamolor,” “Mi Latsatsnir,” “Ayl Acher,” “Akhtamar” and “Kisher e Kisher.”
In 2005, Harmandian received the prestigious St. Mesrob Mashdots Medal of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia for his role in spreading Armenian music.
In 2015, Harmandian published a biographical volume titled “Adiss, Yerki Jampov” (roughly, “Adiss: Along the Road of Songs”) that charts his life and musical career.
For over two generations, Harmandian’s songs have made an incredible impression on the lives of millions of Armenians. Doubtless, his songs will continue to fill Armenian homes and weddings for generations to come.
Photo: Adiss Harmandian Facebook
