The reluctant revival of a Lebanese folk singer

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Rogér Fahkr always had a restless and creative soul. At 17 years old, he left his home in Beirut to walk across Lebanon with his guitar, playing folk songs in English, Arabic and French. But this free and easy vagabond life would come to an abrupt end when civil war broke out in 1975, and it became unsafe even go outside. Amidst the bomb blasts, Rogér and some friends went into a studio and in a single 10 hour session, he recorded an album called Fine Anyway. He drew the album cover himself – an imaginary house in peacetime with a chimney and white picket fence. He made 200 copies and had big ambitions to get his songs out to the wider world, but the dream was shattered when war intensified. Just days after his album was on sale, the record shop selling his music was forced to close its doors. In 1981, Rogér was offered a ticket out of the worsening situation in Lebanon when he was asked to join legendary Lebanese singer Fairuz’s American tour. He settled in San Fransico, finally putting down some roots and abandoning music. He kept his folk songs a secret – not even revealing his musical past to his son. That was until 2018 when Jannis Stürtz, co-founder of Habibi Funk record label, came across the album Rogér had recorded four decades earlier in Lebanon. Rogér’s music aspirations had all but faded and he declined Jannis’ constant requests to rerelease his music. But that changed after the horrific 2020 Beirut port explosion. Rogér, initially reluctant to send his music back out into the world, agreed for it to be included on a fundraising album. The response was overwhelming. Rogér’s album from all those years ago made a major comeback and was reissued on Jannis’ label. He went onto perform sold out concerts in Europe, and was finally able to share his full self with his son for the very first time. Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Elena Angelides and Hannah Dean Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707 (Photo: A black and white photo of a young Rogér Fakhr from the 1970s, in a recording studio in Lebanon sitting in front of a microphone, wearing headphones and holding a guitar. Credit: Raymond Sabbah)