Salim Doumani: One of Arab America’s Earliest Recorded Vocalists
Salim Doumani (1897-1955) Salim Doumani or Samuel Simon, c. 1942. Photo courtesy of Roy Simon. Next to Louis Wardini , few Arab American musicians in the 1920s managed to record on both Alexander Maloof’s label and A.J. Macksoud’slabel – except Selim Doumani or Salim Doumani. Although not the first Arab or Arab American to record vocally in the US for an Arab American market (Wardini first recorded in 1916 and Doumni recorded by 1922), Doumani was certainly among the first handful to record. Richard K. Spottswood’s Ethnic Music on Record: Mid-East, Far East, Scandinavian, English Language, American Indian, International, Volume 5 notes that Doumani recorded some thirty discs for Maloof Records between 1920 and February 1924. Many of these were longer songs that needed to be recorded on two sides. Doumani’s is the voice we hear recorded on one of Maloof’s most popular songs “America Ya Hilwa.” Salim Doumani singing "America Ya Hilwa" on Maloo...