Joseph Kobzon: Sang for Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev. But not for Gorbachev. Joseph Kobzon: about how he sang in front of Stalin and was photographed with his father’s medals About the high rank

Kobzon flew to Afghanistan and Chernobyl, took hostages from the theater center on Dubrovka seized by terrorists. For more than 13 years, the singer struggled with a serious illness. He did not hide his diagnosis of cancer and underwent several operations. September 2 at the Vostryakovsky cemetery in Moscow.

“Tango for Everyone” is definitely not the most famous of the thousands of songs performed by Joseph Kobzon, but it perfectly demonstrates his amazing versatility. What other singer managed to perform romances, arias, comic couplets, and something folk in one concert? And the ideological part of the repertoire, thanks to his voice, has survived its era.

IN modern understanding Of course, this whole show doesn’t fit into the show. Without backup dancers, without lighting effects, the singer held the audience, simply walking sedately around the stage. And this manner did not change for the sake of fashion trends for decades.

The epigram “You can’t stop a running bison, just like you can’t stop a singing Kobzon” has gone down among the people; one of these performances lasted more than 10 hours. The director of “17 Moments of Spring” Lioznova tried to overcome his originality: “Sing like it’s Stirlitz, Kobzon is coming out of you again!” Unsuccessfully.

Kobzon was born in 1937 in the Donetsk region. and loved all my life, and in last years regularly collected for the warring Donbass humanitarian aid. He went there both as a singer and as a politician - Kobzon served in the State Duma for more than 20 years. When he was nominated for the first time, he explained: “This is not for the sake of power.”

Joseph Kobzon: “This is called politicking. Those people who do this, they need money, they need apartments. I have it all. I don't need anything from the Duma. I need status."

And without an official status for his colleagues, he was an eternal protector; they ran to Kobzon to help him, to help with doctors, to get an apartment, knowing his fearlessness, which manifested itself not only in high offices. In the 80s, he traveled through almost the entire warring Afghanistan in helicopters and armored personnel carriers. Instead of a stage, a truck body or a mountain slope.

October 2002. Kobzon near the captured Theater Center on Dubrovka. The terrorists let him in out of respect for the Soviet title of Honored Artist of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. There he repeats for several hours: “Reward me with children.” As a result, four people are released. Kobzon rarely recalled the details of that conversation with the militant leader.

By that time, Kobzon was already seriously ill and had undergone his first operation, which nearly killed him. Close friend Kobzon’s doctor Leonid Roshal said that he had never seen such a thing, that in the morning a person would come for painful chemotherapy, and in the evening he would go on stage to sing. Kobzon spoke about his attitude towards the disease, which he forced to retreat, but could not defeat, in 2012 in the big and.

Joseph Kobzon: “I don’t want to say: “I’m ready to go into a coffin tomorrow,” and I will resist, resist in every possible way, and I will be treated furiously. I'll have to have another operation. But this hour will come; it will not scare me to death. I will not tremble."

Joseph Kobzon bequeathed to bury him on the outskirts of Moscow, on, next to his mother’s grave.

On September 11, People's Artist of the USSR, Hero of Labor of Russia, State Duma deputy turns 80 years old [video] Alexander GAMOV true_kpru @gamov1Lubov MOSEEVA true_kpru

We have been preparing this interview for several months - since back in May the great singer came to us for the ninth time (since 2008) on Radio “Komsomolskaya Pravda”

(97.2 FM) for the program " Singing songs of Victory with Joseph Kobzon" Then there were Donetsk, Lugansk. There was the village of Aginskoye - our hero has been representing this region in the State Duma for more than 20 years. And so as not to repeat myself, because so much has been written about Kobzon - including by us (both in Komsomolskaya Pravda and in our books " Joseph Kobzon: How wonderful everything that happened to us is", "Direct Speech")... Today we decided to take and show you only the most interesting - fragments of interviews, phrases, remarks...

Joseph Davydovich, it’s true that you have accumulated in yourself everything that you saw in Mark Bernes, Klavdia Shulzhenko, Leonid Utesov...

Not the right word - accumulated.

- But you took something from them.

Yes, of course... In the genre of Russian song I use the intonations of Lydia Andreevna Ruslanova, and the lyrical intonations of Klavdia Ivanovna Shulzhenko. In genre war song- intonations of Mark Naumovich Bernes. When there were such playful, entertaining songs in my youth, Leonid Osipovich Utesov helped. I was lucky to work with these masters. Performed on the same stage.

When I found out that my senior comrades were participating in the concert, I always stood backstage. Yura Gulyaev and Muslim Magomaev did the same.

- ABOUT! Can you show me right now? Utesova, for example...

Useless because it needs to be done at runtime. And then - I didn’t parody them, didn’t re-sing them, didn’t imitate them, my teachers. Only intonations!

So that's why you are loved so much, and for many years! You can hear both Leonid Osipovich and Shulzhenko... And if we talk about the traits of “stage character”?

I took more from Bernes. Outwardly, despite the fact that an attractive movie character “stood” behind him, he was very strict. Why do they blame me for not moving or running on stage?

- Yes! Why?

Because the repertoire that Mark Naumovich sang and that I sing does not require external affectation.

- And we saw you dancing on stage three times!

A little bit just to point it out. When they say to me: how many songs do you remember...

- Three thousand!

Yes, I didn’t memorize them, I drew them like pictures. When you sing, say, “Russian Field”, before your eyes is the Russian field itself. Here is Vysotsky. He had nothing to do with the war, he was a child of war. And how soulfully he described these battle scenes. Take "He did not return from the battle" or "The sons go into battle" ...

Joseph Kobzon and poet Robert Rozhdestvensky Photo: TASS photo chronicle. true_kpru

- Did you also study with Vysotsky?

Why not? I literally have two or three songs from his repertoire, and when I sing them (say, “The Ballad of an Abandoned Ship”), I use Volodya’s intonations - very bright, expressive.

- Natasha Pavlova, our stenographer, transcribed your broadcast, which was on Radio “Komsomolskaya Pravda” before May 9. She cried when you started singing "Cranes".

Well, what can I do...

- We listened to you both from the audience and from behind the scenes. Tears are welling up... Why didn’t you ever cry on stage?

No, I cried many times. Take the song “Commander” - he buries his soldiers there. But I am a child of the Great Patriotic War, then I was in Afghanistan nine times, and the same number in Donbass. I saw much of what I sing about with my own eyes and felt it with my heart.

Joseph Kobzon in Moscow, near the Bolshoi Theater. 1959 Photo: Personal archive of Joseph Kobzon

- We noticed several times on business trips that you like to sleep in the dressing room.

Well it keeps me in good spirits emotional state. When you feel in demand, when people are waiting to meet you and you meet their expectations, this is real satisfaction. Afraid of being late...

- And we walk along the corridor: don’t make noise, Joseph Davydovich is resting! You have long been called this: Kobzon is an era.

I don't consider myself epoch-making. I live my life and follow the example of my older comrades. Every time has given culture its own prominent representatives. But for some reason, only a few names have reached us, until our era. If the 30s, then these are Isabella Yuryeva, Tamara Tsereteli, Vadim Kozin, Pyotr Leshchenko, Alexander Vertinsky. If the 40s are also just a few names. Utesov, Shulzhenko, Bernes, Ruslanova...

- You are also called the king of the stage. And Kirkorov and Basque.

Well, this is a product of time. But I don’t know who will remain in history. Edith Piaf said: there are many performers, but give me a personality. We don't have enough personalities. Because everyone strives for mercantile goals. How to earn more...

- But you are not the king of the stage and not the era. Tell me honestly - who are you really?

Concert at the stadium in KabulPhoto: TASS photo chronicle. true_kpru

- And Khrushchev?

He loved the song of Alexandra Pakhmutova (starts singing): “ Our concern is simple, our concern is that our native country will live, and there are no other worries»…

- And before Brezhnev?

He sang about Lenin: “ And the battle continues again, and my heart feels anxious in my chest. And Lenin is so young, and young October is ahead».

- Haven’t you sung to Gorbachev yet?

No, I didn’t sing to Gorbachev, Andropov, or Chernenko.

- And they spoke to Putin several times.

Certainly. In concerts - together with other artists.

- Which of the leaders, from Stalin to Putin, listened to you most attentively?

Can not say. I really want to hope that we will not end with Putin, but continue with Putin...

QUESTION TO FILL UP: HOW MANY STARS HAS THE MASTER?

« I'm a Chernobyl survivor. That's why I'm so patient»

Sometimes Kobzon puts on two Gold Stars - Hero of Labor Russian Federation and Hero of the DPR. The third - also Golden - Star of the Hero of Chernobyl on his jacket is very rare to see. More precisely, he practically does not wear it. He says (with irony): “I don’t want to look like Brezhnev.” But this reward is also very dear to him. Because it's well-deserved...

Disaster on Chernobyl nuclear power plant occurred on April 26, 1986. The destruction was explosive, the reactor was completely destroyed, and environment was thrown away a large number of radioactive substances. In the first three months after the accident, 31 people died. “Long-term effects of radiation,” as the reference books say, “identified over 15 years, caused the death of 60 to 80 people. 134 postponed radiation sickness. More than 115 thousand were evacuated from a 30-kilometer zone. Significant resources, more than 600 thousand people, were mobilized to eliminate the consequences.

Who doesn’t know - Kobzon was the first to speak to the liquidators of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. And it was he who initiated cultural services for Chernobyl victims then, in the first months after the disaster.

Kobzon was the first to speak to the liquidators of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. Photo: TASS photo chronicle. true_kpru

Of course, no one sent me there - I went myself,” Joseph Davydovich told us. - Arrived in Chernobyl on June 26, 1986 - it turns out, two months after the accident. I gave three solo performances in a day. I sang non-stop for two hours - the audience didn’t let me go. As soon as I finished, the people left - another shift arrived, the hall was full: “And we also need Kobzon! " What to do? I say: “We’ll start now, take your seats!” “And - again two hours without a break. Just as I was about to leave, the next watch arrived. That's how he sang - until his voice completely dried up.

How far was it from the reactor? No, very close. I saw him with my own eyes. Maybe the distance to him was only two kilometers. I performed right in their club, next to the administration of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

But that’s not what shocked me... That’s how all the liquidators walked there - both on the street and in the premises - in protective masks. And when they entered the club and saw that I was without a mask, they took off their protective masks. I say: “Why? Put it on now! “And they: “But you didn’t put on...” - “ I didn’t wear it because I can’t sing with a mask on! But you can hear everything even with a mask on!“And they: “No, we’ll take off our masks too...” I couldn’t do anything with them!

And I also met Afghans there - even generals... (For information: Joseph Kobzon flew to Afghanistan 9 times, where from December 1979 to February 1989, Soviet soldiers fulfilled their international duty. - Author.) And they told me frankly they said: “You know, it’s worse here than in Afghanistan... There you knew who your enemy was, you saw him... And you could shoot back at him. You can’t see here, and he - this invisible enemy - kills you, devours you.”

One day we dared to ask Kobzon, in general, forbidden questions... “Your heart,” we say, “probably ache when you see that every year there are fewer and fewer Chernobyl liquidators.” “Yes, that’s true,” Kobzon said very sadly and turned away. - What can you do? I’m still surviving because I’m actively undergoing treatment.” - " Don’t you think that your illnesses are also from Chernobyl?" - "I don't want to guess... Maybe someone thinks that - yes. I believe that if the Almighty ordered that we must live, then we must live. While I live..."

And another time we asked Kobzon: “ As a State Duma deputy, you probably have a lot of complaints from Chernobyl victims?» « “They are patient people,” he replies, “they are not used to complaining.”" How is Kobzon? He grinned and - with irony: “ Yes, by the way, I am a Chernobyl survivor. That’s why he’s also so patient. Especially in relation to you, journalists...»

And this legendary singer was the first pop artist to visit Damansky Island (on March 2 and 15, 1969, armed clashes took place in this area between military formations USSR and China, several Soviet officers and soldiers were killed.) Was in all the “hot spots” in the North Caucasus. In October 2002, a gang of terrorists under Movsar Barayev took hostages (up to 700 people in total) at the Dubrovka Theater Center during a performance of the musical "Nord-Ost", Joseph Kobzon went to the terrorists four times and saved five hostages. Then... He traveled to the fighting Donbass 9 times. In February 2016, he flew to the Russian Aerospace Forces base Khmeimim (Syria). For more than 20 years, Joseph Davydovich has been a State Duma deputy: first he represented the Aginsky Buryat district of Transbaikalia, now he represents Transbaikal region generally.

We have already talked about some of these bright pages in Komsomolskaya Pravda, and many of our stories are yet to come...

Donetsk - Lugansk - Aginskoye - Moscow.

In Samara state college service technologies and design On February 11, the regional stage of the Nineteenth Youth Delphic Games of Russia will take place on the territory Samara region in the "Hairdressing Art" category.
Samara.Edu.Ru
09.02.2020

At the press conference, Joseph Kobzon turned out to be the soloist. The rest of the participants had to be content with the role of backing vocalists, and only Andrei Dmitrievich sometimes managed to start an argument with the master, whose complicated attitude to Israel is well known.

The wonderful poet Andrei Dementyev published new book poems, entitled “Next year in Jerusalem...” Such a collection is best presented to the reading public in the Israeli capital. This is exactly what the poet did: having invited Tamara Gverdtsiteli, Joseph Kobzon and the very popular singer, composer and TV presenter Mark Tishman in Russia today, he went to Israel.

Quite expectedly, at the press conference dedicated to both the collection and the concerts, the soloist was not the “hero of the occasion,” but Joseph Kobzon. The rest of the participants had to be content with the role of backing vocalists, and only Andrei Dmitrievich sometimes managed to start an argument with the master, whose complex attitude towards Israel is well known.

About poems

Having introduced the participants of the press conference as his friends and wonderful people, “each of them radiates the light of the soul that we need,” the poet spoke about the new book.

Andrey Dementyev:

In 1993, with the assistance of Israel, my first book of poems was published, it was called “Snow in Jerusalem.” The current book includes poems written over 17 years. I have included sections on the Promised Land in various books, but everything is collected here. I am very pleased that it was designed by an outstanding artist, Tamara’s fellow countryman Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli. He wanted to fly here with us, but, as Joseph Davydovich said, he probably fell from one of his monuments (laughs). In fact, he is now in Beijing, where he will be creating a new sculpture.

I am glad that the relationship between our people - Russian residents and Israelis - is getting stronger and closer. Every time I come here with friends, they tell me - I have relatives here, in Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva. Kolya Baskov arrived, such a Russophile, and said: “And my grandmother is here.” And only I say: “But I don’t have anyone here, unfortunately.” But yesterday one person said an amazing phrase: “Yes, all of Israel is your relatives.”

By the way, it turned out that Tamara Gverdtsiteli also has relatives in Israel, although she does not advertise this fact very much.

About concerts

Joseph Kobzon:

The equipment is bad. What is a microphone for a performer? This is a partner. Thanks to the microphone, it is fashionable to convey all the nuances of the piece being performed. When the equipment is bad, it is very uncomfortable for the singer to perform. You have to force the sound, this causes your voice to drop and the mood to go accordingly. But this is how it turned out - an unprofessional sound engineer and unprofessional equipment. The sound engineer thinks that the microphone is needed to hear us, but he doesn’t know that it should decorate our sound. Apparently he is not a musician. It's a shame.

About singing to a soundtrack

Mark Tishman:

I'm not very good at getting into the soundtrack. In the project in which I participated, “Two Stars,” there was only live singing. And these concerts are very special for me. I’ve already sung in Israel, but now I’m going on the same stage with Joseph Davydovich. How can I sing along to a soundtrack? I have to match the people with whom I participate in the concert.

Joseph Kobzon:

You are most likely interested in why a person deceives the listener using a phonogram. When I was chairman of the State Duma Committee on Culture, we issued a resolution. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism to control the situation. What is a phonogram for me, a person who has been on stage for more than half a century? When a performer sings, he is in a certain state. Just as you cannot step into the same river twice, you cannot fall into the same mood twice. There are concerts when we are forced to sing along to a soundtrack - when they are filmed on television. For me this is absolutely terrible torture. I have to emotionally get back into the state I was in, and this is almost impossible.

Abroad, self-respecting touring performers never sing to a soundtrack. This is even written into their contracts. There is such a wonderful American singer Whitney Houston. Amazing voice, wonderful songs. Came to Russia. And in St. Petersburg she caught a cold, and the concerts had already been announced. In Moscow she had a concert at the Kremlin Palace. A huge hall with 6 thousand seats. It would seem that God himself ordered her to sing to the soundtrack without straining. She wheezed and cried on stage, and I cried with her, because I felt her condition and understood what was happening to her. But she still didn’t sing along to the soundtrack. Because it's a crime. I deceived you: you paid money to meet with me, and I give you surrogate products. I respect only those performers who sing without a soundtrack.

Andrey Dementyev:

In the Soviet Union there was a committee for Lenin and State Prizes. I was a member of this committee. And one day they nominated a wonderful singer, Sofia Rotaru, for the State Prize. Committee members went to the Hall of Columns, where her concert was held. Then it became known that she sang along with a soundtrack. And it was immediately removed from the discussion.

Joseph Kobzon:

I am a living witness to Sofia Mikhailovna’s appearance on the stage and a witness to her singing to a soundtrack. She was the first in the Soviet Union to perform like this - out of misfortune. Tolya Evdokimenko, her husband, may he rest in heaven, announced a large number of concerts, and she suddenly suffered a cut on her vocal cords. But I didn’t want to cancel the concerts - financial questions played their role.

About portraits of Stalin

This issue was related to the decision of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov to hang portraits of Stalin on Victory Day.

Joseph Kobzon:

He committed actions, perhaps negative, but they went into battle “for the Motherland, for Stalin” and Stalin played a colossal role in the Great Patriotic War. He did a lot of negative things when he led a great power, but no one can simply erase Stalin from history. By the way, I don’t know - if Stalin had not existed, would there have been Israel or not? In 1948, only with his support was your state proclaimed. Why did Stalin appear in first place in the “Name of Russia” poll? Not Pushkin, not Tolstoy, but Stalin? Because the people remembered his great deeds.

About America and Israel

Joseph Kobzon:

I am a victim of a political conspiracy. This happened in 1994. All my colleagues, all my friends go to America - Grisha Leps, Sasha Rosenbaum, Vinokur, and Leshchenko. And everyone knows the same people I know. They were familiar with, may he rest in heaven, Otarik Kvantrishvili, with the Solntsevskys. But I can look you in the eye law enforcement agencies. I never had anything in common with any of these people. But I have always been a friend of Yuri Mikhailovich Luzhkov. And when the confrontation between Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin and his henchman Alexander Vasilyevich Korzhakov began in 1994, they had to grub everyone. The first person they grabbed was me, then Gusinsky and a whole series of other people.

A certain emigrant Sam Kissin, who they wanted to detain in Russia for all sorts of left-wing deeds, paid off by writing slander against everyone they pointed out to him. And so, despite the fact that Primakov, as prime minister, spoke with Albright, and Ivanov spoke with Powell, and, as I was told, Putin spoke with Bush, to this day there is a file on me. I said - I am ready to come to the States, appear in court and answer any questions. But I haven’t gone to America for 16 years now. They don't let anyone in - not my son, not my daughter, not my wife. The fact that I have been a member of the Russian parliament for the 4th convocation, a people’s artist, an academician, a professor, and an honorary citizen of 29 cities does not interest them. And Israel has been and remains America's henchman.

I told your colleagues about this when I was detained at Ben Gurion airport. Thanks to Perez, who then, at Bovin’s request, urgently assembled the Cabinet and said - this is an egregious case. They answered him: there is a file on him in the USA. So this is America's business! And you hide the fact that you are completely and completely dependent on America!

I do not believe that Israel is an independent state independent of the monster of the United States of America. Both economically and politically. What is the population in Arab countries, surrounding Israel, and how many in Israel? I admire Israeli patriotism and the fact that Israeli citizens are willing to give their lives for their country, but I do not deny Israel's connection to America and unquestioning obedience.

Joseph Davidovich brushed aside the objections that the relationship between Benjamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama could not be called cloudless, and said this about the relationship between Russia and Israel:

I am pleased with the development of interstate relations between Israel and Russia. This is felt not only in economics and politics. The state and society's attitude towards Jews has become much better. “Persons of Jewish nationality” - we don’t even say these words. We don’t say this either in the press or publicly. What used to be called a Jew who entered college? Kyiv University? Miracle Yudo. And there was one minister - Zaslavsky. And today Jews are both ministers and in the presidential administration. The situation is much more favorable. Visa issues have been resolved between states, this also says a lot. This attracts tourists. Why do we need Türkiye when we have Israel? It's cheaper there, but the atmosphere is different.

About the high rank

Joseph Kobzon:

I rushed into the embrasure when, after the Yeltsin revolution of 1991, we began to be called People's Artists of Russia. It was necessary to receive an Honored Artist of Russia, People's Artist of Russia, and only then could one dream of the title of People's Artist of the USSR. When I was named People's Artist of Russia, I immediately stopped Angelina Vovk and said that next time I would not go on stage if they announced me incorrectly. I - National artist Soviet Union. Applause rang out in the hall. And after that, little by little, others began to return to this proud title. We're not saying that Knight of St. George will now be called Yeltsin's Cavalier. You need to cherish the recognition that was received.

About Russia and Georgia

Tamara Gverdtsiteli:

I do not perceive relations between Russia and Georgia as politics. This is pain for us. My mother has not seen her son, my brother, who lives in Tbilisi for months. I had incredible difficulties getting a visa for my father. This is not a normal situation. I hope that this will come to an end, but none of us can pretend that nothing happened.

I would not have gone to Tskhinvali, but they asked me, and to this day we are deciding that my concert will take place in Tbilisi. Before this, I will definitely talk with Prime Minister Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. I know him well, he awarded me the title of People's Artist of Russia, which gave me the right and moral support to continue living in Russia. I’ve been living in Russia for 15 years and I’m emotionally attached to it, of course. At the same time, my Georgian disc is ready. I believe that I have the right to speak in my homeland, but first I want to talk to the Minister of Culture, and I think that this will be received normally. God grant that this be so.

- Why do you need to talk to Putin?

Because I am a Russian citizen and People's Artist Russia.

About Hamas and Israel

The "Opinions" question was related to the Internet:

- Almost all Russian sites dedicated to Islam are characterized by one feature - while talking kindly and patiently about their religion, they immediately change their tone when it comes to Israel and the very name of the country is written “Israel”, like this, in quotation marks. The source from which this spelling was taken is "Palestine-info", the Hamas website in Russian. This is a question and, if you like, an appeal to State Duma: How can we explain that Russian Islamic sites share the position of a terrorist organization?

Joseph Kobzon:

There is a lot of vulgarity, dirt, and slander on the Internet. Should you, the intelligent people of Israel, pay attention to this? Can you give an example? You know about the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. I was there when hostilities began. And there was the director of the music school, with whom I once studied at the Institute. Gnessin. An educated musician, an intelligent person. And I asked him: “Vagif, explain to me what this is? How do you feel about this?” And he said: “If I meet an Armenian, I will kill without hesitation.” You say that as soon as Muslims start talking about Israel, they become different. It's quite normal. This is a poisoned consciousness. So don't pay attention.

True, in the end, Joseph Davidovich still called Hamas a “Muslim gangster formation.” After which he apologized, said that he was leaving so as not to be late for a meeting with his grandson, and just before leaving he said that he had been examined in an Israeli clinic. Let us hope that the results of this examination will not cause alarm.

People's Artist of the USSR, famous Soviet and Russian artist Joseph Kobzon passed away on August 30. Long years the singer struggled with a serious illness - he was operated on several times, received chemotherapy, and fell into a coma. And so, just over 10 days before his birthday, Kobzon passed away in the intensive care unit of a private clinic in the center of Moscow.

The site's editors have collected the top 10 little known facts about an artist who spent almost his entire life on stage.

Escape from war and the “loss” of mother

Joseph Kobzon was born near Artemovsk in the small town of Chasov Yar. When did the second one begin? World War, his father immediately went to the front, and his mother gathered the children, got on the train, not knowing where he was going, and left. The main thing in this situation was to escape away from the border and military operations.

“I remember how my mother went to get water at the station and fell behind the train. And so we were left without my mother - that was the worst thing. And then she caught up with us two days later,” Kobzon recalled in an interview.

Moreover, throughout his life, it was his mother who was for the artist “God, religion and faith, which he did not want to part with, and at the same time did not understand how she had enough time for a large family.”

Tattoos at 13 years old

Sometimes summer holidays the future honored artist spent time with his uncle in the village in Kirovograd region. At that time, the family lived in Dnepropetrovsk. Then the boy often ran to the river with friends to fish. They started joking with him that he was a Jew and would be afraid to get a tattoo.

However, he was not afraid. The guys tattooed him with three needles wrapped in thread. He had initials on his fingers, the inscription “I will not forget my dear mother” on his back, as well as an image of an eagle. But by evening the boy became ill, an infection set in, and his aunt and uncle barely saved him.

Later, when Kobzon began to appear on stage, he became very ashamed of the criminal tattoos that everyone was paying attention to, and he removed them, leaving only the image of an eagle.

Boxer's "career"

While studying at a mining technical school in Dnepropetrovsk, the guy, in addition to amateur performances, also began boxing. He himself said that he managed to defeat his opponents with the help of “bad power.” But when he won four victories, there was no opponent in his weight category and he decided to enter the ring against an athlete who had a higher rank. Immediately after the start of the fight, Kobzon was knocked out, and then he realized that “bad power can only be countered with the best knowledge and skills.”

In total, during his “boxing” career, Kobzon scored 18 victories and four defeats.

Three wives and ten grandchildren

During his 80 years, Kobzon managed to get married three times. At the age of 28, he first married Veronica Kruglova, with whom he was married for only two years. The marriage with actress and singer Lyudmila Gurchenko was not much longer - only three years. But his third union with Ninel Drizina lasted right up to his death. Only three years were not enough to celebrate the golden wedding (50 years of marriage).

Kobzon has two children left - Andrei and Natalya. In addition, he has 10 grandchildren.

Twice spoke before Stalin

For the first time, the singer performed in front of Stalin at the Kremlin Theater, where the final concert of the school amateur performance took place. He represented Ukraine there and performed Matvey Blanter’s song “They’re Flying” migratory birds".

The second time Kobzon went on stage and sang in the presence of Stalin was a few years later. Then he performed “Golden Wheat” by the same Blanter.

Years later, in an interview with one of the publications, Kozon stated that he saw how Stalin liked his performance, and he himself sympathized with him throughout his life.

Connections with the Russian mafia

In May 1995, US authorities denied Kobzon entry into American territory, explaining that the singer had connections with the Russian mafia.

The artist himself stated that entry into the United States was denied not only to him, but also to all members of his family. The basis for this was the alleged letters of his enemies, where they slandered him.

According to him, he was ready to personally come to the United States in order to answer all the questions of interest to American law enforcement officers and close this issue forever.

Freed the Nord-Ost hostages

Everyone remembers very well the Chechens’ seizure of the Theater Center building in Moscow, where the musical “Nord-Ost” was being performed. Then, according to official data, 130 people died, but there are allegations that there are more victims and the figure is 174 hostages.

Many say that there could have been more victims if not for Kobzon’s courage. Later, he himself said that as soon as he saw a message on TV about the taking of hostages, he rushed to them. He demanded to be allowed into the building and, with the help of his title of Honored Artist of the Chechen-Ingush USSR, won the favor of the terrorist leader. Thus, he was able to get several women and children out of the building.

In total, he went to Nord-Ost four times. For the first time - by myself, and then I took with me Irina Khakamada, Leonid Roshal, a doctor from Jordan, Ruslan Aushev, Evgeny Primakov.

Monument in Donetsk

Exactly 15 years ago, namely on August 30, 2003, a monument to Kobzon was unveiled in now-occupied Donetsk. Its author was the Moscow sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov. The monument was cast in bronze, and the singer was depicted wearing a coat thrown over his shoulders.

The artist himself did not agree to the installation of a monument to him during his lifetime for almost a year and a half. But after much persuasion, including with the participation of the then governor of the Donetsk region, Viktor Yanukovych, he gave in.

Guinness Book Record Holder

Joseph Kobzon was officially recognized as the most titled artist of the Russian Federation. In total, he has more than 180 awards and titles. And this is officially recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

Among other things, he is an Honored Artist several times, although he was deprived of this title (President Petro Poroshenko signed a corresponding decree on May 14, 2018), he has several dozen different medals and orders of merit, he has been awarded honorary titles, prizes and grand prix .

A repertoire of thousands of songs and the fight against plywood

By different estimates, Kobzon’s repertoire included at least 3,000 songs. At the same time, he remembered all of them by heart. It is known that at concerts his musicians did not use notes at all, and the artist himself remembered not only the lyrics, but any intonation and modulation of the songs, and here it no longer made a difference what language he performed in - Russian, English or Yiddish.

The singer was also an ardent supporter of the fight against lip-syncing Russian artists. Before his second term in the State Duma, he distributed propaganda calling on artists to abandon the “plywood” and always sing live.

When the melody of the famous “Dugout” began to flow, Joseph Kobzon began to think. And... I missed the first line, “The fire is beating in a cramped stove,” and began immediately, “On the logs there is resin, like a tear...” But “Dugout” did not suffer from this - it turned out to be very sincere.

Before the broadcast, we offered Kobzon to record this and other songs. But he flatly refused: “I always sing only live!”

- Joseph Davydovich, you sing “Dugout” like that... You might think that you yourself experienced all this.

I remember the war from the first days. I was then four years old. We lived in Lvov. The German advanced very quickly, and my mother barely managed to put us three sons on a freight train and take us away from Lvov. When the train stopped, my mother ran to the station to fill the kettle with boiling water. And she fell behind the train. It was a tragedy! Mom is our breadwinner, we couldn’t do anything without her. And when she caught up with our train two days later and entered the carriage, we all cried. And she cried.

My own father went to the front in June 1941 as a volunteer. And immediately two of my mother’s brothers, Yakov and Mikhail, left. The brothers did not return from the front, they died... And in 1943, their father was brought shell-shocked and wounded to Moscow, to the hospital. At this time, our family was evacuated in Uzbekistan. And it turned out that my father never returned to us; he had a new family in Moscow...

- Front-line love, right?

No, not front-line love, it was Moscow love... Mom had three of us, and in 1946 she became involved with front-line soldier Mikhail Mikhailovich Rapoport, who had two children, and his wife died in ’43.

Together with a minus soundtrack (recording musical accompaniment) military songs Kobzon brought with him to the radio front-line letters from his relatives, old photographs.

This is us in the photo with my stepfather, whom I called father.

- And here you are, boy, with medals...

Well, these are his medals for the capture of Berlin.

- Did you really wear them right on the street?

No, my father only allowed me to wear them for photography. You know, such a childish show off.

“I SPEAKED BEFORE STALIN TWICE”

Alexander Ivanovich is calling you. Thank you very much, Joseph Davydovich, for never speaking badly about our past.

Do you know why I don’t write memoirs? It's very easy to lie in memoirs. Go check it out. How will you test me if I say that I spoke before Stalin twice? I also have certificates. In 1946 I sang at the Kremlin Theater. This was the final concert of the school amateur performances. And I represented Ukraine. Stalin, as I remember now, was sitting in the right box in a white jacket.

- And what did you sing to Stalin?

I didn’t sing to him - there was a full hall of people there. The first time I sang “Migratory Birds Are Flying” by Blanter, and the second time, in 1948, the song “Golden Wheat” by the same author.

- How did the leader react?

He smiled. He loved children very much...

- Did you also love Stalin then?

I still love him. I did not experience the tragedy that my compatriots experienced. And you can’t blame everything on Stalin. I think we need to blame the regime, the time and the system under which Stalin led the country.

- So you are a Stalinist?

In what sense?

- Well, don’t you go with a portrait of Stalin?

No, I don’t go with a portrait. But when, say, I did the program “The Road Home, from the Front, from Brest to Moscow,” there was a portrait of Stalin on our locomotive in front. After all, this is exactly how the winners returned from the front in May 1945. You say: well, Kobzon is a Stalinist...

- No, we just assumed.

Your guess was not entirely correct. I'm in '37, in the very bloody year, just came into being. And today I think that we should not, we have no right to forget the exploits of the 30s - Chkalov, the Chelyuskinites, the Papaninites... Yes, today we are hurt and ashamed for some tragic pages in our history. So let’s tell our children about this too: children, it was bad, but the country lived, the country overcame this grief and evil and returned to good things.

“WE DIDN’T TEACH OUR PEOPLE TO APPRECIATE THEIR DEVOTS”

Victor from the Moscow region. I was at your concert in Chernobyl. For some reason, the Chernobyl topic is not covered at all, Joseph Davydovich. But 2011 marks the 25th anniversary. Or will we, too, as veterans of the Great Patriotic War, only be noticed and welcomed somehow on our 65th anniversary?..

Unfortunately, we have not taught our people to value their exploits. We have long been accustomed to astronaut flights. Twice the Heroes pass by - and we don’t notice them. Well, spent two years in space - so what?

The same thing happened with the Afghans. Gromov brought them from Afghanistan, and no one met them here - the way they greeted front-line soldiers at the Belorussky station. We treated our heroes the same way, who fought, I wouldn’t like to call it, but I have to, on the fronts civil war in Chechnya.

Chernobyl victims? And they were forgotten too. I asked the “Afghans” who liquidated the accident at the nuclear power plant, where was it more dangerous - in Afghanistan or in Chernobyl? They say: of course, in Chernobyl, because in Afghanistan we saw our enemy, we felt him, but we didn’t know how many of these x-rays we picked up in Chernobyl and what would happen to us tomorrow.

We remained ungrateful to our guys who Peaceful time showed miracles of courage and heroism.

“AND ONCE WE DID SHARE A FLAT BREAD FOR EVERYONE”

Savars Tigranovich is worried about you. Could you, together with other decent people, create a cultural space on the territory former USSR? We all miss each other...

The desire is great. I address this question to the commission on culture of the Commonwealth countries. I think they should do this. But I myself am not going to stand aside. I traveled with concerts through all the former Soviet republics- nostalgia for those times is felt everywhere family values, which were during the times of the USSR.

Victory was brought closer as best they could by people of different nationalities, different republics of the former USSR. And now we call them guest workers... Doesn’t that offend you?

Well, Ukraine is my homeland, my country, and I come there and fill out documents as a foreign guest. I regret that I am not given the opportunity to perform in Uzbekistan...

- Who doesn’t? Islam Karimov recently came and spoke about friendship between peoples.

These are different things. But I am forbidden to perform there with a program. The two countries that prohibit me are the USA, where they signed me up as a “mafia”, and Uzbekistan.

- You were sheltered by an Uzbek family during the war, right?

Yes, in Yangiyul, in small town near Tashkent, we lived in a simple Uzbek family. They had 8 children of their own and 7 of us. For everyone there is a small smeared house. And everyone fit in. Mats and mattresses were laid out on the floor, and we all went to bed in piles. And they shared with each other who had what. When mom managed to bring a flatbread or something else, they divided it among everyone...

"DON'T FORGET, DON'T LOSE..."

Some people doubt: are such grand Victory holidays necessary as they are now? What do we want to prove? What are strong? And to whom?

I think they are needed. Yes, if only in order to somehow quench the feeling of shame that in the 90s our front-line soldiers were embarrassed to put on military orders and medals and go out with them. And we were embarrassed to bow to them. But this is the conscience of two centuries - the 20th and 21st. There are so few veterans left. And they are leaving so quickly, tragically leaving us. And they take with them the memory of their exploits. And we have nothing left. When you talk to young people, they don’t know who Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya and Alexander Matrosov are.

- Come on…

No way! Go to any school and talk.

- Okay, this is a topic for us.

They don’t know who Alexey Maresyev is. I look these days - young people walk down the street with guards ribbons. Some people attach them to a car antenna, others just to a T-shirt... And the grand parade, and these little ribbons - all this is very important. Let the whole world know that we are proud of our Victory. And those who broke the back of the fascist beast and defended our freedom.

Yes, sure. I woke up from a terrible scream in our communal apartment. It was in the city of Slavyansk, in the Donbass. I knew what screams were like in a communal apartment when a funeral came. But then, opening my eyes, I saw that people were smiling, hugging and crying at the same time. I asked my mother: “What happened?” She says: “Victory, son!”

Kobzon sings "Victory Day". We notice that his fingers are trembling slightly.

The microphone is turned off. Kobzon carefully collects front-line letters and old photographs from the table:

When you reshoot for the newspaper, be sure to return it all to me. Don't forget, don't lose!..

We won't lose...

Prepared by Lyubov GAMOVA and Alexander GAMOV (“KP” - Moscow). Photo from family archive Joseph Kobzon