Born in
Tripoli, Lebanon, to a
Lebanese mother and a Music teacher of
Palestinian origins on his father’s side and of
Greek origins on his mother‘s side, who owned a shop selling and repairing musical instruments, Jamal was trained in singing since childhood. After failing to graduate in electrical engineering, in 1954 he started his professional musical career, working for
Radio Lebanon and recording two songs he composed, "Alouli Ahl el-Hawa" and "Asmar Ya Shaghel Albi". ==References==