From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Googoosh
Googoosh at an Air Canada Centre concert in June 2006.
Background information
Birth name	Faegheh Atashin
Born	5 May 1950 (1950-05-05) (age 59) Tehran, Iran
Genres	Pop
Occupations	Singer, actress
Years active	1953–present
Labels	Avang Music [1] Taraneh Records Caltex Records MZM Records Pars Video

Googoosh (alternately spelled: Gogosh, Gugush, Guguš, Googosh or Gougoush; , born Faegheh Atashin, Persian: فائقه آتشین , born 5 May 1950 in Tehran) is an Iranian pop singer and former actress. She is one of the most famous Iranian singers for different generations.^[1]

In the 1960s and 70s, Googoosh was considered the most celebrated recording artist in Iran and much of the Middle East.^[2] In addition to music, Googoosh was also an actress in many Persian films of the 1960s and 1970s. She is more widely known as a singer than as an actress. After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, she is famously known for remaining in Iran until 2000 and not performing or performing again due to the ban on female singers. Still, her following grew. Younger people have rediscovered her music via bootleg recordings.^[3] Outside of Iran, she has a significant following in many Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries, and has even caught the attention of western media and press.^[4]. Googoosh is rumored to reside in an estimated $16 million valued estate near Bel Air, Los Angeles, California,^[5] and continues her career, albeit in a limited manner.

Biography

Childhood and youth

Googoosh (Faegheh Atashin) began singing and acting at a young age with her father, Saber, during the 1950s

Googoosh was born 'Faegheh Atashin' on 5 May 1950^[6] on Sarcheshmeh Street of Tehran. Her father, Saber Atashin was an Iranian Azerbaijani who emigrated back to his native Iran several years before his marriage. While Googoosh was still an infant, her father divorced her mother.^[7] She began doing impersonations of some of the singers of the time^[8]. When her father discovered this talent, he put her on stage^[8]. She was raised bilingual, being fluent in the Persian and Azeri languages.

2000 and beyond

In 2000, a feature-length documentary called Googoosh: Iran's Daughter was released which chronicled the singer's life and her icon-status while detailing the socio-political turmoil that led to the 1979 Revolution in Iran. Made by Iranian-American filmmaker Farhad Zamani, the documentary began production in 1998 and was made at a time when Googoosh was still forbidden to perform interviews.^{[citation needed]}

On 21 and 24 March for the year during Nowruz holiday Googoosh performed in Dubai. This concert was considered a homecoming for her since thousands of Iranians crossed the Persian Gulf to hear her.^[9]

On 22 July 2009, Googoosh, delivered an emotional speech in which she said the outcome of the 12 June presidential election, which the protesters accuse President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of stealing, inspired her to make her first foray into politics. She and the other speakers stood in front of a banner bearing the names of some of the 600 protesters believed to remain in jail. The names of those killed were written in red.

“I have come here to be the voice for the sad mothers who lost their loved ones in peaceful demonstrations,” said the singer. “I have come here to be the just voice of the grass-roots and spontaneous movement among my compatriots and to show my solidarity.” Source New York Times.com

Awards

• 1971: first prize and golden record at the Midem trade fair in Cannes for her 7" record (as "Gougoush") featuring two songs in French: "Retour de la Ville" (A-side) and "J'entends Crier Je T'aime" (B-side).^[10][11]
• 1972: First prize at the Carthage Music Festival
• 1972: First medal of arts of Tunisia^[11]
• 1973: The best actress for Bita in Iranian Sepas film festival.^[11]
• 1973: The best artist of the year at San Remo Music Festival.^[12]

Personal life

Googoosh's first husband was Mahmoud Ghorbani. He was a music promoter who had helped Googoosh make a name for herself throughout the 60s. They married in 1968. They had a son, Kambiz, who currently lives in Los Angeles and who is also in the music industry. In 1973, Ghorbani and Googoosh divorced.

In 1974, Googoosh married Iranian actor, Behrouz Vossoughi. They divorced 14 months later.

During the late 1970s, Googoosh became involved with Homayoun Mestaghi, but after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Googoosh served a 3 month jail sentence because she was living with him outside of marriage, which was illegal under the Islamic regime. Several years later, Googoosh divorced Mestaghi.

She married director Masoud Kimiai in 1991.^[13][14]

Discography

Studio albums

• Mosabbeb (with Dariush, 1975)
• Nimeh Gomshodeh Man ("My Lost Half", year unknown)
• Behtarin Fasl-e-Taazeh ("The Best Fresh Season", year unknown)
• Do Mahi ("Two Fishes", 1974)
• Hamsafar ("Fellow Traveler", 1972)
•  ?:Jadeh (The Road)
• 1971: Mordab (The Swamp)
•  ?:Do Panjareh (Two Windows)
•  ?:Kavir (The Desert)
•  ?:Kooh (The Mountain)
•  ?:Ageh Bemooni (If You Stay)
•  ?:Yadam Basheh, Yadet Basheh (Shenasnameyeh 1)
•  ?:Pol (The Bridge)
•  ?:Setaareh (The Star)
•  ?:Mann O Gonjeshkayeh Khoneh (Me and Sparoows of the Home)
•  ?: Lahzeh Bidari (awakening moment)
• 1977: Dar Emtedâde Šab (Along the Night)

Albums since comeback

• 2000: Zartosht (Zoroaster)
• 2003: QQ Bang Bang
• 2004: Akharin Khabar (Last Reminder)
• 2005: Manifest
• 2008: Shabe Sepid (white night)
• 2010: Hajme Sabz (Green X)

Filmography

Googoosh played most of her movies in 60s but her 70s movies are more memorable.

9 year old Googoosh in Fereshteh farari one of her first movies

Googoosh won the best actress award of Persian Sepeas film festival in 1972 for Bitâ

Googoosh also played in two other movies, Marde Kerayee(man for hire)(مرد کرایه ای) and Haaji Firouz( حاجی فیروز) but the production of these film were stopped at the last stages for unknown reasons.

Tours and concerts after 2000

Googoosh Comeback Tour (2000–2001)

Post-Comeback Tour Concerts

• 18 August 2001 - Toronto, Air Canada Centre^{[citation needed]}
• 19 July 2001 - Tunis, Menzah Stadium^{[citation needed]}
• 8 September 2001 - Sydney^{[citation needed]}
• 8 February 2003 - Los Angeles, The Forum^{[citation needed]}
• 24 May 2003 - Anaheim, Honda Center (former Arrowhead Pond)^{[citation needed]}
• 4 October 2003 - Washington, DC, Verizon Center (former MCI Center)^{[citation needed]}
• 25 December 2004 - Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas^{[citation needed]}
• 17 September 2005 - Los Angeles, The Forum^{[citation needed]}
• 24 September 2005 - Fairfax, Virginia (near Washington, DC), Patriot Center^{[citation needed]}
• 12 November 2005 - San Francisco, Bill Graham Civic Auditorum^{[citation needed]}
• 24 December 2005 - Las Vegas, Thomas & Mack Center^{[citation needed]}
• 11 March 2006 - Dallas, Nokia Theater^{[citation needed]}
• 27 May 2006 - Vancouver, GM Place^{[citation needed]}
• 3 June 2006 - Toronto, Air Canada Centre^{[citation needed]}
• 9 September 2006 - San Diego, Symphony Hall^{[citation needed]}
• 7 October 2006 - Los Angeles, Kodak Theater^{[citation needed]}
• 8 October 2006 - Los Angeles, Kodak Theater^{[citation needed]}
• 21 October 2006 - New York, Madison Square Garden^{[citation needed]}
• 13 January 2007 - Atlanta, Atlanta Civic Center ^[16]
• 20 January 2007 - Flint Center, Cupertino (near San Jose)^{[citation needed]}
• 7 July 2007 - Toronto, Air Canada Centre ^[17]
• 15 September 2007 - Miami, Knight Concert Hall ^[18]
• 1 December 2007 - Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Theatre^{[citation needed]}
• 25 December 2007 - Oberhausen, Arena Oberhausen (presented by International Music Productions)^{[citation needed]}
• 27 December 2007 - Stockholm, Globen Arena^{[citation needed]}
• 29 December 2007 - London, Hammersmith Apollo^{[citation needed]}
• 15 March 2008 - Houston, General Assembly Theater
• 26 March 2008 - Dubai, Dubai Media City
• 28 June 2008 - Ledyard, CT, MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort & Casino
• 23 August 2008 - Los Angeles, Nokia Theatre

........................................................

• Memory lane tour
• 21 March 2009_ Oakland ,California _ Paramout Theatre,
• 6 June 2009 - Washington, DC, DAR Constitution Hall
• 7 August 2009_ Melbourne, Australia_ Dallas Brooks Centre
• 8 August 2009_ ,Sydney, Australia _ Sydney Convention Centre
• 19 September 2009 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia _ KLCC Concert Hall
• 29 November 2009_ Dubai ,Sheikh Rashid Hall,World trade center
• 21 March 2010_ London ,Wembley Arena

.............................................................

• 23 March 2010 _ Dubai ,Sheikh Rashid Hall,World trade center

See also

• List of famous Iranian women
• Persian pop music

References

External links

• Official website
• Googoosh at Allmusic
• Googoosh Fan Site
• Listen to Googoosh Online
• Googoosh at the Internet Movie Database
• All about Googoosh
• Iran Chamber
• Googoosh Discography on IranSong
• Listen Googoosh online on PersianPersia.com