Ahmad Zahir, who reigned as the king of Afghan music, died under mysterious circumstances in 1979 as his country was descending into war.

A new documentary celebrates Ahmad Zahir, the ‘60s and ‘70s icon who mysteriously died in 1979. Arwa Haider finds out how Zahir combined popularity with protest.

Sporting a black quiff and sideburns, Ahmad Zahir sang of love and heartbreak in liberal 1970s Kabul — a city now plagued by war and suffering, but where the popularity of Afghanistan's "Elvis" ...

KABUL, Afghanistan — It was the first day of class at the Ahmad Zahir Singing Course, and Samir Najibullah arrived looking like a young rock star. His wavy hair was slicked back, and he wore a ...

“Ahmad Zahir’s music is different. His songs and lyrics have significance,” she told RFERL’s Gandhara website. “These days, some of the songs [by new singers] are not listenable.” Hussam is a ...

Wherever you go in Afghanistan, he said, “if there is music, there’ll definitely be one Ahmad Zahir song playing”. Former DJ Zubair Rezaee, 27, described Zahir as “evergreen”.

Ahmad Zahir with his dark shock of hair, sultry voice and overwhelming stage presence more than earned the nickname "The Afghan Elvis" but he was so much more. He remains Afghanistan’s most ...

The popularity of Ahmad Zahir, often known as Afghanistan’s Elvis, persists decades after his death Sporting a black quiff and sideburns, Ahmad Zahir sang of love and heartbreak in liberal 1970s Kabul ...

Zahir was a showman who, appropriately enough, once recorded an Elvis tune; just like Elvis, the Afghan singer kept his fan base for decades after he died in the 1970s. When you hear his story ...

Over the next 15 years Ahmad Zahir was without rival in Afghanistan, racking up hit after hit across the country. He sang mainly in Dari but recorded in Pashto, Hindi, Urdu and English.

A new documentary celebrates Ahmad Zahir, the ‘60s and ‘70s icon who mysteriously died in 1979. Arwa Haider finds out how Zahir combined popularity with protest.