Born: 1872
Died: January 29, 1931, Union City, NJ
Active years: 1924-1929
Label Association: Shamlian Records, Sohag Records, MG Parsekian 

Our Sound Archive series often celebrates the work of the early 20th century folk musicians who documented the music of their homeland upon arriving in America, as well as the music of their children, who we might think of as the post-WWII “Kef generation.” While shaped by the musical path between these generations, the singer and songwriter Hovsep Shamlian is key to that development. Many songs that Hovsep Shamlian wrote and recorded in 1927 are staples of the Armenian-American musical repertoire, particularly songs like Sheg Mazerov and Hasaguet Partzer (now known as Kale Kale). Another notable Shamlian composition which is still heard from “kef” bands today is Gamavor Zinvor, recognized as a historic testament to the Armenian Legionnaires who fought in WWI under the French flag.

Shamlian came to America in 1902 from Diyarbakir (Dikranagerd) and settled in West Hoboken, New Jersey, an enclave for the Dikranagerd community (West Hoboken merged into the current municipality of Union City in 1925, during Shamlian's life.) There he and his wife Manoush raised four children, with Hovsep working various jobs including running his own restaurant and cafe. He performed as a singer and kanon player with other musicians in the community including Harry Hasekian and Marko Melkon Alemsherian, all well-versed in the folk music of Western Armenia. In the 1920s, Hovsep’s contemporaries began self-publishing through labels like MG Parsekian and Pharos Records. Many of these musicians, like Vartan Margosian, focused on recording the traditional folk repertoire of Kharpert, while Hovsep in contrast built on existing folk melodies as well as writing his own melodies and original lyrics. Around 1924, the singer Karekin Proodian recorded the first two songs on the MG Parsekian label; both songs, Hasaguet Partzer and Guelorig Manche, were written by Shamlian. 

In 1926, Hovsep began producing recordings on his own self-titled label. He proudly described them with the phrase “Armenian Orchestra,” in contrast to other labels that used terms like “Oriental.” He also published his lyrics with written music for the community. While Dikranagertzi Armenians have a specific dialect, Shamlian decided to write only in a universally-understood Armenian. Between 1927 and 1929 Shamlian registered the lyrics for 17 original songs for U.S. copyright. His songs were poetically rich but were entirely secular, telling stories of love and life, intended for celebrations such as weddings and picnics. Shamlian gave to his community a whole new repertoire, rooted in the traditions of village music but proudly sung in a universalized Western Armenian. 

These songs had a great influence on the generation that grew up hearing them in the 1920s and 1930s. Notable among those who went on to perform his works are the iconic singer Onnik Dinkjian, who shares Hovsep’s Dikranagerd roots, as well as many post-war bands, like the Vosbikian Band, Aramite Band, Nor-Ikes Orchestra, Gomidas Band, Hollywood Oriental, Ross Bagdasarian and even into the contemporary period through the Kef-Time records featuring Richard Hagopian and his band. Interestingly, the 1937 first edition of Nor Knar, an Armenian songbook published in Thessaloniki, Greece, included several of Shamlian’s songs, without attribution, as did the second edition published in 1954 in Beirut. However, the later Shirag songbooks, which became extremely popular, and were published in Lebanon starting in 1960, focused almost entirely on repertoire emanating either from Soviet Armenia or from the pen of Gomidas - and eventually the early hits of Armenian pop “estradayin” music, while earlier diasporan and Western Armenian contributions fell to the wayside.

Presented here are four of Hovsep Shamlian’s own compositions: the first two, Dzotsit Gakhvadz Khachn Ullayi & Adamant Madani Me are sung by Shamlian himself on his own label, while Hasaguet Partzer is performed by Karekin Proodian and is an example of the use of his songs by his contemporaries. Lastly, Rosy, performed by the Aramite Band, is an example of the interpretation of his repertoire by the Kef bands of the post-war era. 

A special thanks to the SJS Charitable Trust for their generous support of our work to digitize and share our collection of 78 rpm records.