Zülfü Livaneli

Zülfü Livaneli was born in 1946 in Ilgın, Turkey, and grew up with traditional folk music. He started writing songs in the 1970s, a politically tense period in Turkey, and his work often carried social and political themes.

While living abroad, Livaneli kept writing and performing. His music found listeners outside Turkey, and he worked with artists like Joan Baez and Mikis Theodorakis. Songs like 'Kan Çiçekleri' and 'Bana Bir Şarkı Söyle' became well-known, with 'Kan Çiçekleri' in particular being heard as a kind of peace anthem.

He returned to Turkey later when restrictions eased and continued making music. His recordings include albums like 'Merhaba' from 1971 and 'Kan Çiçekleri' from 1977. He often performed with a group called Zülfü Livaneli ve Arkadaşları, which included musicians like Erkan Oğur on saz and İsmail Tunçbilek on ney.