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Video: In memory of Willie Tokarev: Kuban Cossack, Honored Jew of Brighton Beach and People's Artist of the World
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Willie Tokarev passed away on August 4, 2019. He did not have any official awards, however, thanks to his talent, he received many unofficial titles. One of the most popular performers of Russian chanson has always followed his dream. For the sake of the opportunity to record his own disc, he left for America, and having achieved his goal, he began to dream of returning to his homeland. Willie Tokarev, a life-loving, open-minded and talented person, passed away at the age of 85
Kuban Cossack
He was born in the Krasnodar Territory, in a family of Kuban Cossacks, and Vilen received his name in honor of the leader of the world proletariat, Vladimir Lenin. Even as a child, he showed his creative abilities: at school he began to write his first poems and mastered playing string instruments.
After graduating from school in Kaspiysk, where the family moved, Willie Tokarev went to sea for the first time in his life, getting a job on a ship as a fireman, then served in the army. Then he went to Leningrad, where he entered the music school at the Leningrad Conservatory and became a double bass player.
In his student years, he married, a few years later the eldest son of the musician Anton was born. Willie Tokarev was then 32 years old, and his songs were already performed on the stage by Edita Piekha and Vladimir Mulerman. The royalties allowed the family to live comfortably, but many of Willie Tokarev's works were not aired. Then the performer decided to leave where they would not set boundaries for his work.
He received a call to Israel, but he was not allowed to leave just like that, and almost indicatively was expelled from the country, not allowing him to take even his personal double bass with him. His wife and son were supposed to fly to him at the transfer point in Italy, but the wife's mother did not give permission for them to leave. And Tokarev went to America instead of Israel.
Honored Jew of Brighton Beach
The first time in the United States, he had a hard time: he took up any job in order to feed himself. Later he got the license and began to save money for the release of his own album, working as a taxi driver. It took Tokarev four long years to collect the necessary amount, and then his first album, "Life is always beautiful," was released, then the second came out - "In a noisy booth", which brought fame to the author. Willie Tokarev became popular, his songs enjoyed incredible success in Russian circles.
In the United States, for some reason, he was considered a Jew and was even awarded the unofficial title of Honored Jew in Brighton Beach, although the performer admitted in an interview with New York Radio: he is Russian. But this title was the gratitude of fans and connoisseurs of his talent for his songs.
He released six records in the United States, he was rich and popular, but his heart was at times gripped by homesickness. Since 1989, the singer began to visit Russia with concerts.
He married a girl whom he met during one of his visits to Russia. Svetlana gave birth to his son Alex, but after moving to her husband in New York, she changed a lot. Then Willie Ivanovich realized how different they are. And he left, leaving his wife a furnished apartment and a tidy sum in the bank.
People's Artist of the World
15 years after emigration, Willie Tokarev returned to Russia. An important role in this was played by Alla Borisovna Pugacheva, who helped him organize solo concerts throughout the country. He gave about 70 concerts and each was a full house. Thousands of his fans gathered at the stadiums where Tokarev performed.
For a while, Willi Tokarev lived in two countries, but in 2005 he finally moved to Russia. Even before moving to the Moscow metro, he met an amazing girl, Yulia, and having driven only three stations with her, he realized that she would certainly become his wife. She was only 43 years younger than Willie Ivanovich, but they both did not feel this difference. Julia really became his wife and mother of two children.
Willie Tokarev gave many concerts, and at one of the concerts he was named People's Artist of the World. After all, he actually performed wherever he was invited, did not refuse concerts either in rural clubs, or in colonies, or in concert halls. In many countries there were admirers and connoisseurs of his work. The performer himself defined his genre as everyday, although his songs are much more often referred to as Russian chanson.
Recently, the singer appeared less and less in public, and in May 2019 he was hospitalized for the first time due to a sharp deterioration in health. The relatives and friends of the musician did not give any comments about his health and did not disclose the diagnosis. On August 4, 2019, Willie Tokarev's son Anton announced that his father had died in the intensive care unit of a Moscow clinic.
Fate was not too kind to the great chansonnier Alexander Vertinsky. His voice and manner of performance - a melodious and cutesy recitative with expressive grazing - is impossible not to recognize or confuse with someone. Vertinsky is a NAME-legend, and there is no other like that. Possessing a unique charm and aristocratic magic, he, like a hypnotist, skillfully controlled the mood of the audience in the hall. So what is the phenomenon of this great artist?
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