Zeki Müren ( 1931-1996 )

He was a prominent Turkish actor, singer and composer, and even regarded by many as
the best ever. He was famous for his compelling voice and precise articulation in his
singing of both established Turkish classical music and contemporary songs.

In his forty-five-year professional career Müren composed more than one hundred songs
and made more than two hundred recordings. He was celebrated as the Sun of classical Turkish music and was affectionately called "Pasha".

Many of Müren's records were also published in Greece, where he also enjoyed popularity,
along with the US, Germany and several other countries during the 1960s and 1970s.

He acted in Turkish cinema, starring in eighteen films and writing many of their musical
scores. He died of a heart attack during a live performance on stage in the city of Izmir on September 24, 1996. His death caused the greatest public grief in years and thousands
of Turks attended his funeral.

His house in Bodrum was established as the Zeki Müren Art Museum.