Evin Agassi

Evin Agassi (25 September 1945 – 17 September 2024) was an Iranian-American Assyrian singer who had a career that spanned for over 50 years. Agassi produced over 40 albums

One of the better-known Assyrian singers, he generally toured Australia, Europe and West Asia. The majority of his songs were written by his brother, Givergiss Agassi, both in Persian and Assyrian.

Mid 2000s–2020s: Continued world tours and final years Agassi had since raised hundreds of thousand of dollars for Assyrian churches and the welfare organizations aiding the Assyrian people. In 2010, he again travelled to Syria, and in 2016 he has visited Iraqi Kurdistan, to perform at the concerts and parties there. One of Agassi's last albums, "The Circle Of Life", released in 2012, was one of his most anticipated albums, after a seven-year hiatus.

Up until the 2020s, he had concerts regularly in North America, West Asia, Europe and Australia, and had visited England, Germany, Canada, France, Austria, Netherlands, Russia, Syria, Iran and Northern Iraq. Agassi had produced just over 500 songs by the 2020s. Agassi's last public performance was at an annual Valentine's Day party in Chicago in February 2024, and his last overseas concert was in Sydney in August 2023. He was set to perform in California's Bay Area later in July before cancelling due to his condition. Agassi was reportedly battling the disease for "several years", before his condition deteriorated in July.

Reaction His death left a significant impact on Assyrian communities worldwide, since his songs were a message for stateless Assyrians to conserve their identity and history.

On 22 September, more than 1,000 people attended the St. Hurmizd Assyrian Church of the East in Greenfield Park, Sydney, for a memorial mass to honor the late singer. Tributes were made by Agassi's dedicated fans, that included local poets, Assyrian singers and Bishop Mar Meelis Zaia.

Discography

Agassi produced over 40 albums in his 50-year career. Here are his albums:

Records 1 (1967) Records 2 (1968) Record 3 (1969) Record 4 (1970) Record 5 (1970) Bakheelota (Enviousness) (1975) Umta Burbista (Dispersed Nation) (1975) Shamiram (1980) Haft Sin (Persian album) (1981) Dargooshta D Mardoota (Cradle of Civilization) (1982) Winter (1982) Alola (Alleyway) (1982) Sayaada (Fisherman) (1983) Cultivators (Khasade) (1983) 9 Nostalgic Hits 1959 (1984) 7 Btabbakh (Seventh Storey) (1984) Khazadee (Cultivators) (1984) Habbania (1984) Red Zero (1985) Tomorrow's Country (1985) Strength (Khela) (1986) Mometa D-Ata (Flag's Promise) (1987) Camp (1989) Azaad (Free) (1989) Orzeh (Men) (1990) Gareh (Rooftops) (1992) Sama Khwara (Drugs) (1992) Sapar D Garbia (Flight To The Western World) (1993) United Nations (1994) Yesterday (1994) Son of our Times (Bronet Zona) (1995) Guardian (1995) New Generation (1996) Paradise (1997) Fisherman (1998) Broken Chain (1998) Happiness (1998) Baghdad (2000) Letter to God (2000) Memories (2005) Happiness II (2006) Circle of Life (2012) 45 Years of Singing (2017) Madinkha (Eastern World) (2019) Ghasreh (Castles) (2023)