Hamza El Din {حمزة علاء الدين} (b. Toshka, Egypt, July 10, 1929 - d. Berkeley, California, May 22, 2006) was a Nubian oud player, tar player, and singer. Born on 10th July 1929 in the Egyptian village of Toshka, near Wadi Halfa, he originally trained to be an electrical engineer. El Din changed direction and began to study music at the Cairo University, continuing his studies at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. His performances attracted the attention of the Grateful Dead