We recall interesting facts from the life of Russian maestro Yuri Antonov

In our country. Yuri Antonov everyone knows! He has long since become a glorified and much-loved maestro of the national variety: Antonov's songs are beautiful, lyrical, melodic... and most importantly - soulful. During his career, the talented composer wrote (often together with brilliant poets) and performed dozens of compositions, which went to the people and found eternal life. It is great to listen to them during a holiday, at a country house, enjoying the solitude of home or simply indulging in warm memories of youth....

Yuri Mikhailovich - talent! His compositions are heard even by the modern generation! Today, the artist is no longer so active due to poor health - after all, the man is almost 80 years old. Nevertheless, despite his advanced age, he is even interested in Russian rap! We offer to learn interesting facts from the life of the people's idol.

The first 60 rubles

At first, his parents didn't take kindly to their son's hobby. seriouslyWhat is this business, music?! I need to do something more serious and better paid! But already at 14 the future artiste managed to change their minds: he earned his first 60 roublesbeing a choir director at the depot.

A difficult tour

The first tour brought Antonov 400 roubles - huge sums of money in those days! Yuri was invited to join the "Tonika" ensemble, with which he travelled almost all over the Soviet Union. In the 80s, the musician set an astonishing record: he played 28 concerts in 15 days! Each of them was attended by at least 10,000 spectators !

Alas, there have been a number of times in the artist's career troubled times. For example, in 1987, Antonov was criticised. During a performance, someone in the audience shouted out "Hackneyed!". Yuri Mikhailovich was offended by such a statement and left the stage. Soon the tour was suspended - the media started openly harassing him, saying that he had "failed the test of fame". The situation was "hushed up" only after Antonov and his good comrade poet Oleg Vilenkin went to Gorbachev personally.

"Music is a very hard labour that kills you not physically, but spiritually. It sucks all the juices out of you, literally eats you from the inside out. I love my job, I love concerts, I love the audience. But sometimes it's exhausting. That's why I've been doing less concerts lately. I just sit at home and enjoy the peace - that's the main reward for me for all the years I've spent on stage".

Foreign wives

Yuri Mikhailovich was married thriceBut he doesn't like to remember any of his marriages. On the personal front, the country's idol somehow did not do well - Antonov loves Russia, but his wives have gone their separate ways. So there was no family hearth. The artist married for the first time in 1976 to Anastasia, who later flew to the USA.

"I helped her personally with all the paperwork and even bought her a ticket. I didn't go anywhere myself - I didn't dare. I have everything here, and it's a foreign country..."

Antonov's second wife lives in Croatia, and the third in Paris. The musician has two children - daughter Ludmila and son Mikhail.

"I hardly ever see them. I don't see my daughter, she lives abroad with her mother, and I don't communicate with her (meaning my ex-wife). With my son we meet from time to time, but very rarely".

When asked why he didn't leave Russia and didn't try his luck in the States, Antonov replied:

"I didn't see any prospects for myself. Here, in my home country, I have everything: a name, acquaintances, popularity, fans, public love... There - nothing. You know what I realised? "The American dream" is very deceptive! Only a few Soviet musicians managed to get a job abroad, and even then the former glory was not there".

The least of our brothers, or best friends

Today, the artiste has passed the age eighth decade and enjoys a holiday in his own "paradise corner" - in a private house near Moscow. But despite the fact that all the wives and children have left, Antonov is not really bored!

He surrounded himself loyal friends - dogs and cats, which he personally picked up from the street, warmed and fed.

And a few years ago, Yuri Mikhailovich even started breeding protein! I've fed a fox on occasion.

"I love animals. My father was a hunter, but I don't recognise it. I hate hunting! Fishing is acceptable, but running through the forest with a gun after a fox or a bear... No. It's not my thing."

Interest in contemporary rap music

While the contemporary scene has long been "buried."Yuri Mikhailovich feels for her. interest.

"Keeping an eye on what's going on in the world. I don't really like what they're doing now, but some artists are quite good. Their rhythms are good! But there are no hits now, of course. When was the last time you released a song that people will remember and sing in 10 years? I don't even remember such a thing. So I urge modern artists: guys, sit down at the piano, pick up a guitar... Music should be soulful! And people will reach out to you".

Antonov also admitted to discovering the Russian rap:

"A few performers interested me - Basta, for example. But in general, I don't remember their names - they are more like nicknames! I like the fact that today there is a kind of creative freedom - people finally choose what they want to listen to. There aren't any artist councils anymore. I support that. But the only thing I don't understand is why there is so much foul language in modern lyrics? I, for example, can use a strong word in private with friends. But on stage, in front of a huge audience... I think it's unacceptable.