Avraham Shabsi Hakohen Friedman better known by his stage name, Avraham Fried, is a popular musical entertainer in the Orthodox Jewish community.
Career
Fried was encouraged towards a music career by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the rebbe of Lubavitch, Mordechai Ben David and producer Sheya Mendlowitz. Fried began his career with the release of his first album No Jew Will Be Left Behind in 1981. The title song was composed by Yossi Green and the song "Kel Hahodaos" was written by Rabbi Boruch Chait / Kol Salonika, The Rabbis' Sons. Music by the Zimriah Orchestra, arranged by Marty Lewinter. Fried went on to collaborate with Sheya Mendlowitz and Yossi Green on eight albums. Green is credited with some of Fried's biggest hits, including "Aderaba", "Tanya", and "Didoh Bei". Fried also collaborated most notably with arranger Moshe Laufer over the years, but worked with a number of other arrangers including Marty Lewinter, Yisroel Lamm, Suki Berry, Mona Rosenblum, Yaron Gershovsky, and others. Avremel, as many of his friends call him had appeared as a guest soloist on the Amudai Shaish Orchestra's Wedding Album in 1981. During that same year he appeared as special guest star on Suki With A Touch Of Ding II - Wedding Album. He also appeared as an adult soloist on the Amudai Shaish Boys Choir's third album, in 1982. He also sang on a number of all star cast albums produced by Suki & Ding. In summer 2009, Fried made a concert tour in Israel where he introduced Israeli singer and composer Chanan Yovel and featured the songs "Rak T'filla" and "U'Nesane Tokef". His first DVD was released in December 2009.
Musical style
His music is mostly categorized as pop Jewish music, similar to Mordechai ben David and tends to integrate many styles of popular music, including pop, rock and jazz, with Jewish lyrics and themes. He also has a few "cantor" style songs on most of his albums, as well as many songs written in Yiddish. He sings his Yiddish songs with a Chabad flavor.
Family background
Fried's grandfather, Rabbi Meir Yisroel Isser Friedman, was the Rav of Krenitz, a renowned halakhist and Sanzer Hasid. After World War II he resided in Borough Park, Brooklyn. His father, Yaakov Moshe Friedman, OBM, was a Hasid of the Rebbe of Bluzhov, and worked as an administrator at the United Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Crown Heights for 40 years. Fried is the youngest of eight children of the Friedman family. He has five brothers and two sisters. Fried and his siblings were all educated in Lubavitcher institutions, becoming Lubavitcher Hasidim. His brothers are all involved in Chabad outreach; his brother, Rabbi Manis Friedman, is an author, lecturer and shaliach in St. Paul, Minnesota. Benzion and Eliyahu are shlichim in Overland Park, Kansas, and Safed, Israel, respectively. Yossi works at the Kehot Publication Society and Shlomo at Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch. Two sisters, Feige Green in Florida and Ita Marcus in California, are also engaged in outreach. His nephews include Jewish singers Benny Friedman, Eli Marcus & Shmuel and Bentzi Marcus of 8th Day, and Simche Friedman. Fried and his wife have six children and they live in Crown Heights. He is a Kohen.
Charity appearances
Fried has appeared several times in the annual A Time for Music HASC concert to benefit HASC, an organization that provides Jewish children with disabilities the chance to live a normal lifestyle. He most recently appeared in the 31st HASC concert, which took place at the David Geffen Hall in the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan on January 7, 2018.
