Hedi Jouini

Hédi Jouini (1 November 1909 – 30 November 1990) was a Tunisian singer, oud player, and composer. In his long career, Jouini composed close to 1,070 songs and 56 operettas.

Life He was born Mohamed Hédi Ben Abdessalem Ben Ahmed Ben Hassine in the Bab Jedid quarter of Tunis. In his youth, he sang religious hymns for local ceremonies, including those for circumcision. He abandoned academic pursuits for music and song.

Music career Debut After a brief sojourn at The Rachidia, from the age of sixteen Jouini began to appear in local bands as a mandolin player. He was introduced to the oud by Mouni Jebali, father of Maurice Meimoun. At 20 years of age, his popularity increased upon singing with the Arruqi troupe at the Bab Souika.

Honors and awards In 1966, he was elevated to the rank of officer of the Order of the Republic of Tunisia by president Habib Bourguiba. He received a new decoration from President Bourguiba in 1982 for his work and contribution to the enrichment of the Tunisian cultural patrimony.

In 1982, he was honored again by President Habib Bourguiba in recognition of his overall body of work and his contribution to Tunisia's cultural heritage.

Influence

A film documenting the life of Hedi Jouini, Papa Hédi: The Man Behind the Microphone, was released in 2017.