Abdel Halim Hafez or Abdel Halim Hafez, real name Abdelhalim Chabana, (born June 21, 1929, died March 30, 1977) was a very popular actor and singer in Egypt and the Arab world during the 1950s until the 1970s. Nicknamed al andalib al asmar (the brown nightingale) because of his bewitching voice, he is considered one of the greatest Arab singers, if not the greatest, as his records and cassettes are the best-selling (it has been shown that his sales figures exceed those of Umm Kalthoum). Abdel Halim's songs are still played on Arab radios, and many of his songs have been covered by contemporary singers.