Fredu Abela ż-Żejtuni
Fredu Abela Iż-Żejtuni
is a known and respected folksinger from Żejtun, born on the 16th October 1940. He started folk singing in 1958, quite by coincidence.
It was on the eve of a general strike in April, when Abela, together with some friends who folk-sung, including Karmenu Caruana Il-Botna and Ċikku Iz-Zanin went to St Thomas Bay, to while the evening away, knowing that the next day the country would be at a standstill.
He claims that għana is a gift from God, and is a talent that one is born with it within his spirit.
His favourite folksinger is Pawlu Seychell Il-Għannej, with whom he has sung a cadence, that has now become part of folk legend, at the Pandora Theatre in Żejtun together with Mikiel Abela Il-Bambinu and Żaren Mangion Il-Folfol.
Abela has sung in many venues in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, on the five times he has visited Australia over a span of thirty years.
External Links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rECeXMf2ZD0 Performing in Sydney in 2006.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFvdwnwreDo Cadence sung in honour of Pawlu Seychell