YURI ANTONOV: “DON’T TELL ME “GOODBYE”!”

For more than 40 years, people have known, loved and sung songs Yuri Antonov. Quite a solid creative career by today's standards. Such popularity comes at a price. As well as flattering reviews from sir himself.

Yuri Antonov more than 10 years ago they were awarded the Ovation Prize in the category Living legend”, because that’s exactly what the singer is. In the composer's collection large number discs that are being reissued. He actively participates in competitions and festivals both as a jury member and as a participant, presenting his new compositions to the listener.

Birth of a legend

Father of the future famous performer was a military man. He was given leave in the summer of 1944, and he came to Tashkent. His wife Natalya was evacuated here. 9 months after their “date”, a son was born Yura.

Mikhail Vasilyevich saw the boy in fits and starts. My father worked for 3 years in the Berlin commandant's office. When the Antonov family was finally reunited, they decided to move to permanent residence in the Belarusian city of Molodechno. There Yuri went to school. He began to study music seriously and at the age of 14 became the leader of the railway workers' choir at the local depot, and went to Vilnius to obtain notes for the orchestra.

He came to the same club 20 km from Molodechno to play the accordion, for which he received 60 rubles per month. At this time I met jazz classics, which subsequently played a certain role in his work.

He was no less active during his years of study at the music school. There he even created Dixieland. Due to lack necessary equipment the participants had to be content with what was at hand - Russian folk instruments. But despite this, Dixieland Antonova was popular.

Believe in your dream

After graduating from music school Yuri Antonov was sent as a music teacher to a children's music school in Minsk. And soon to a young musician offered to take the place of instrumental soloist in the Belarusian State Philharmonic. Having served in the army, Yuri returns to his native Philharmonic and organizes his first team. And a few years later he was invited to work in the legendary Leningrad ensemble “Singing Guitars”. In this group he performed his original songs for the first time. But the song “For me, there is no one more beautiful than you” - a hit of that time - brought him all-Union popularity. This song was popular not only among listeners and spectators, but, very importantly, it received flattering reviews from musicians. Besides, Yuri Mikhailovich For the first time in the USSR he performed the song “People Meet” by the Hungarian composer Gavasha. Later, the members of “Singing Guitars” admitted that the songs from Antonova poured out as if from a cornucopia.

Good fellow Yuri Antonov

In 1971 Yuri leaves for Moscow. Starts here new period his creativity. He performs in the ensemble “Good fellows”. He writes new songs, which are performed by the ensemble “Jolly Fellows” under the direction of Pavel Slobodkin. At this time he wrote the songs “Yesterday”, “Summer is Ending”, “At the Birches and pine trees." He is invited to join the orchestra under the direction of Anatoly Kroll as a soloist-vocalist. Performances begin in Moscow.

The singer admits that at Rosconcert the ensemble “Good Fellows” had to take concert program 18 times! The fight that Yuri spent in those years, it hardened him greatly. At that time there was a fashion among young people long hair and sideburns like Tom Jones. But the artistic councils did not recognize her. Once the ensemble was passing the next program, and members of the commission demanded that the musicians shorten their hair. As a sign of protest, they all cut their hair bald. "What have you done!" – then the jury was indignant. To which the guys replied: “So no one forbade this type?”

At this time, Rosconcert was hatching plans to create a Moscow music hall, and Yuri management promises its own group. Subsequently this team becomes independent and receives the name “Magistral”. With this ensemble he tours throughout the country with his own solo program.

His first records are beginning to be released by Melodiya. The whole country sings songs Yuri Antonov, but the path to television is closed. And with the artistic councils of the record company, not everything is so simple. Many songs Yuri are not allowed for publication. The reason for everything is not being a member of the Union of Composers. But, nevertheless, popularity among Soviet listeners is growing like a snowball. The circulation of his records is growing like mushrooms, the number has already reached millions. U Yuri Antonov new team- "Airbus". Recordings of new songs begin - “On Kashtanova Street”, “I’m coming to meet you”, “White Ship”.

Lunar path of Yuri Antonov

But the real takeoff is yet to come. This great job at the Melodiya company with the Araks group. Records are being released with the songs “Don’t Forget”, “Sea”, “Twenty Years Later”, “I Remember”. 20 million copies sold!

The Odessa Film Studio invites him to write music for the film “Take Care of Women,” beloved by millions of viewers. This is how film work begins. wrote music for the films “Beauty Salon”, “Before We Part”, “Order”, “Stranger Song”, “Predators”, “Fools Die on Fridays”.

Together with famous poet Mikhail Plyatskovsky wrote a children's musical fairy tale-musical "The Adventures of the Grasshopper Kuzi." In this musical, the song “The Roof of Your House” was first performed, which became very popular in the country. He works at the largest concert venues in the country: Kyiv - 20 concerts at the Sports Palace, Rostov-on-Don - 12 concerts at the Sports Palace, Moscow - 8 concerts at the Luzhniki Sports Palace. But the real record Yuri Antonov– in 15 days – 28 concerts at the Lenin Sports and Concert Complex in Leningrad, each concert was attended by 14 thousand spectators. The total circulation of music media sold is 47 million copies.

In 1985, the Polarvox Music company invited Yuri Antonov to Finland to record an album in Russian and English. And five years later Antonova his own studio appeared, in which he spends a significant part of his time. He rewrites his old songs again, composes new ones, although he is in no hurry to publish them - he is not going to put his money in the pockets of pirates.

"I've had enough..."

Talking about love Yuri Mikhailovich admits that he was greatly impressed by the film “Sun Valley Serenade” with incredible music. Later he learned the tunes from this picture performed by the Glenn Miller Orchestra and played the accordion.

Yuri Mikhailovich He's been married 3 times and thinks he's had enough. For the first time Yuri married in 1976 to a girl who was planning to move the whole family to the West, prepared for himself and her necessary documents, bought tickets. He helped them move to the United States, paid all expenses and remained in his country. I realized that I couldn’t leave Russia forever. Subsequently, I never regretted that decision.

Little is known about the second wife, since Antonov preferred not to put his personal life on public display. She is Russian by nationality, but lives in Paris. The third wife was Yugoslavian. In addition to this, Antonova there is a son, Mikhail.

People of several generations adore the inimitable “Antonov” style - pleasant, lyrical or rhythmic melodies, warm, usually leisurely intonations, memorable soulful timbre of the voice, sincere lyrics.

FACTS

- an emotional person. He likes to drive recklessly, and when he is detained by the police, swearing with gusto, he presents his ID as a traffic police officer!

Through the noise of the radio "Spidola" I heard the music of the ensemble for the first time. This happened in 1964.

“Now I have fifty new songs patiently waiting in the wings. I can wait quietly. At least ten years. My music never gets old. This is proven by the sold-out crowds at my concerts and my whole life in general,” he says, and one cannot but agree with this.

Updated: April 14, 2019 by: Elena

, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, accordion

Yuri Mikhailovich Antonov(born February 19, Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, USSR) - Soviet and Russian composer, pop singer, poet, actor. People's artist of the Russian Federation (1997).

Encyclopedic YouTube

1 / 5

✪ Yuri Antonov. The fate of a man with Boris Korchevnikov

✪ Yuri Antonov in the anniversary concert “I don’t regret anything.” 2010

✪ Yuri Antonov - Running around. 2005

✪ Fans are in grief! Singer Yuri Antonov is seriously ill!

✪ Yuri Antonov - Best Songs (Versions of the 80s).

Subtitles

During his student years he organized his first musical group - pop orchestra- who performs at the local House of Culture.

In 1963, after graduating from music school, Yuri Antonov was assigned as a music teacher to a children's music school in Minsk, where his parents were already living at that time. Then he works as a soloist-instrumentalist in the Belorussian State Philharmonic. In November 1964, he was drafted into the ranks of the Soviet Army in the Internal Troops as a submachine gunner, where he participated in amateur performances. After the end of the service, he returns to his native Philharmonic and works musical director ensemble "Tonika" People's Artist of the Belarusian SSR Viktor Vuyachich. During this Minsk period of creativity, at one time the guitarist in Yuri Antonov’s band was Vladimir Mulyavin, who then came from Sverdlovsk, replacing the guitarist in the ensemble, family circumstances left for Moscow.

In 1969, Yu. Antonov was invited to work in the popular Leningrad VIA “Singing Guitars” as an instrumentalist-keyboardist. In this group, Yu. Antonov becomes a vocalist for the first time. The first songs by Yu. Antonov, “Airport”, “Where is the courage?” were also performed here. to the words of the poet Albert Azizov, “O good fellows and red maidens”, “Stop, don’t shoot, soldier!” to the words of the poet Oleg Zhukov, “If you love” to the words of the poet Leonid Derbenev, but his song “There is no more beautiful you” to the words of the Leningrad authors Irina Bezladnova (wrote the original version of the song, of two verses) brings special popularity to the ensemble and Yuri Antonov himself and Mikhail Belyakov (added the third verse) performed by the soloist of the ensemble Evgeniy Bronevitsky, released on the EP of the Melodiya company in 1971.

In the spring of 1970 he moved to Moscow. Works as a soloist-vocalist in the popular VIA Dobry Molodtsy, then in the Sovremennik orchestra conducted by Anatoly Kroll (1971-1975) ( former orchestra Eddie Rosner), director of the ensemble at the Moscow Music Hall, artistic director VIA "Magistral" at the Moscow Regional Philharmonic (1975-1977), at the All-Union Recording Company "Melodiya" (1977-1983). On the giant copyright disc of David Tukhmanov How beautiful the world is(1972) Yuri Antonov records the presenter vocal part in the title track of the album, “How Beautiful This World” is. In 1973, Melodiya released the first EP by Yuri Antonov and the Sovremennik orchestra with the songs “The Third Day” (words by Pavel Leonidov) (on another version of the disc, instead of it, the song “Don’t be sad, please” (words by Onegin Gadzhikasimov)) , “Well, what should we do with him?” (words by Leonid Derbenev), “At the birches and pines” (words by Igor Shaferan). In 1975, VIA "Good fellows" and Yu. Antonov at the Melodiya company recorded an EP with Yu. Antonov's songs "Why", "No, not me", "The current carries me", and VIA "Magistral" (p. / from Yu. Antonov) - a minion with Yu. Antonov’s songs “Why” and “Forget.”

In 1980, Yu. Antonov and the rock group “Araks” prepared a split, which, however, was not approved by the artistic council for publication by the Melodiya company. Then Yu. Antonov published songs own performance from this album on several minions, the release of which was much easier to agree on, later these songs were included in the 1983 album “The Roof of Your House”, and the remaining songs, performed by the soloists of Araks, were released in 1987 on the giant disc Yu .Antonov From sadness to joy.

In 1983, Yuri Antonov became a soloist of the Chechen-Ingush Philharmonic, where he worked for three years and becomes friends with Makhmud Esambaev. In the same year he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. He works closely with VIA “Blue Bird” and participates in joint tours. The result of the collaboration is a giant disk blue bird at the Sports Palace in Luzhniki with songs by Yu. Antonov performed by the ensemble “White Ship”, “I am coming to meet you”, “Colored sounds”, “Take care of women” and others. The first giant disc by Yu. Antonov is being released by the Melodiya company The roof of your house with songs that were released a little earlier on five minions of Yu. Antonov with “Araks” and another instrumental ensemble. In the same year, together with the poet Mikhail Plyatskovsky, Yu. Antonov wrote the first and second parts of a children's musical about the grasshopper Kuza - The Adventures of Kuzi the Grasshopper And New adventures of the grasshopper Kuzi(2 giant disks), including very famous song of which “The roof of your house.” With her, Yu. Antonov for the first time reaches the final of the television festival “Song of the Year” (1983).

IN television program CT "Wider Circle" in 1983 Yuri Antonov presents his new song“Wider Circle” based on poems by Leonid Fadeev, which became the title song of the television festival for many years. This song was performed by VIA “Blue Bird”.

In 1984, Yu. Antonov, after much persuasion from his friend, film director Alexander Kosarev, starred in his film “Before We Separate” in the role of the artist Ryzhikov. Helps Kosarev in filming - according to eyewitnesses, he is a co-author of many of the lines of the characters in this film. In the same year, for the second time he reached the finals of the television festival “Song of the Year” with the song “Bullfinches” based on the verses of M. Dudin, written for the 40th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

With organized in 1982 by Yu. Antonov instrumental group"Airbus" in 1984-85, the following two giant performer discs were recorded at the Melodiya company - Believe in your dream And The long-awaited plane(the arrangements of this album were made by Vadim Golutvin) with new songs “On Kashtanova Street”, “My youth is leaving”, “I don’t regret anything”, “My path is simple”, “Give me your hand”, “On the high bank” , “Glass Night”, “My Darling”, “Vacation” and others. He works at the largest concert venues in the country: Kyiv - 20 concerts at the Sports Palace, Rostov-on-Don - 12 concerts at the Sports Palace, Moscow - 8 concerts at the Luzhniki Sports Palace, 28 concerts at the Sports Complex named after. Lenin in Leningrad, each concert was attended by 14 thousand spectators. [ ]

In the same year he began working at the Mosconcert as a soloist-vocalist. At the Luzhniki Stadium, at the closing ceremony of the Goodwill Games, Yu. Antonov performs a song specially written for this, “The World Depends on Us” to the words of V. Sautkin.

In 1988, Yu. Antonov, in collaboration with the poet Mikhail Plyatskovsky, wrote the third and fourth parts of the children's musical about the grasshopper Kuza - Kuzya the grasshopper is wanted And Kuzya the grasshopper on the planet Tuami(2 giant disks). With the song “Don’t pick the flowers” ​​from this musical, in the same year he reached the finals of the “Song of the Year” television festival for the third time.

In 1990, at the Metadigital company on a gramophone record at a speed of 45 rpm. 6 songs from Yu. Antonov's album are released Lunar path.

Subsequently, he participated and reached the finals of the television festival “Song of the Year” in 1997-2002 and 2010 (including in 1998-2002, 2010 with his songs of previous years “Torrential Rains”, “And in life everything is fleeting”, “This intersection ", "Mailbox").

On February 19, 2001, the presentation of the album “There is no more beautiful you” took place with songs recorded in 1995 together with the Mikhail Finberg Orchestra at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Yu. Antonov and his 30th anniversary creative activity. It included, along with popular ones, relatively little-known songs by Yu. Antonov “Royal in Hiroshima”, “White Snowstorm”, “Your Destiny”, “No, Not Me”, “About Good Fellows and Red Maidens”, “I Sing for You” ", "How is this so."

By the 2000s, Yu. Antonov had released about 20 records and CDs with a total circulation of more than 48 million copies. In those years, he tried to promote the singer Svetlana Almazova, wrote and helped her release the album “ Sweet honey"(2000), but the project did not take off; the songs performed by Almazova were not taken to the radio; according to Antonov’s fans, the new songs were too inferior to the previous ones. Since then, Antonov has stopped releasing new songs. The release of four albums (“Road to the Sea”, “Heavy Rains”, “Life” and “ Best songs") was postponed indefinitely. Only on January 1, 2013, a duet song with Leonid Agutin “On the Arbat” was released.

He is the Chairman of the Board of the United Council for Aesthetic and moral education employees of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia [ ] . In 1999, he was awarded the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Prize, as well as the National Music Award “Ovation” in the “Living Legend” category.

IN musical groups, led by Yu. Antonov, passed good school many famous musicians and performers: Arkady Ukupnik, Anatoly Aleshin, Vladimir Matetsky, Evgeny Margulis, Victor Zinchuk, Vadim Golutvin, Mikhail Fainzilberg, Katya Semyonova and others.

In 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2015 he was special guest international music festival"Legends Retro FM"

On July 31, 2009, at the New Wave festival of young performers in Jurmala, creative evening Yu. Antonova. Stars took part in the concert Russian stage who performed his songs. On March 14, 2010, a large anniversary concert, dedicated to the 65th anniversary of Yu. Antonov. In 2009-2011 and 2013, he was a member of the jury of the New Wave competition.

In the fall of 2011, he moved from his dacha in Novo-Peredelkino to a three-story mansion with columns in the style of Russian classicism in the Gribovo cottage village, 15 km west of Moscow.

In the fall of 2013 and spring of 2014, the anniversary tour “About You and About Me” was held on the Russia-1 channel. In June 2014, Antonov was a member of the jury of the Five Stars competition and performed as part of the competition. At the beginning of 2015, he took part in the “Main Stage” project and became a member of the jury. On November 21, 2015, he took part in the 20th Golden Gramophone Award with the song “Road to the Sea”, took part in the annual festival “Eeeh go wild 2015!”

Political Views

Awards and titles

State awards and titles

USSR awards

• Honored Artist of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. 1983

Russian Awards

Awards from other countries

• Order of Francis Skaryna (9 July 2010) - for his contribution to strengthening friendship between the peoples of Belarus and Russia

Discography

• 1970, EP - VIA “Singing Guitars” (one of the songs is “There is no more beautiful you”) (Melody)
• 1970, LP - “To everyone who loves a song” (one of the songs is “You are no more beautiful” performed by VIA “Singing Guitars”) (Melody)
• 1971, LP - Gyulli Chokheli (one of the songs - “Song, Guitar and Me”) (Melody)
• 1973, EP - Yuri Antonov and the Sovremennik Orchestra (Melody) (“Don’t be sad, please”, “Well, what should we do with him?”, “At the birches and pines”)
• 1973, EP - Yuri Antonov and the Sovremennik Orchestra (Melody) (“The Third Day”, “What to Do with Him?”, “At the Birches and Pines”)
• 1973, EP - VIA “Jolly Fellows” (songs “If You Love”, “Well, What to Do with Him?”) (Melody)
• 1973, EP - VIA “Good Fellows” (one of the songs is “About Good Fellows”) (Melody)
• 1973, LP - VIA “Singing Hearts” (one of the songs is “If you love”) (Melody)
• 1973, EP - Lev Leshchenko (songs “Your Destiny”, “White Snowstorm”) (Melody)
• 1974, EP - VIA “Akvareli” (one of the songs is “Red Summer”) (Melody)
• 1974, LP - VIA “Jolly Fellows” (one of the songs is “Why”) (Melody)
• 1974, EP - Yuri Antonov and VIA “Magistral” (songs “Our Highway”, “Forget”) (Melody)
• 1975, EP - Yuri Antonov and VIA “Good fellows” (songs “Forget”, “No, not me”) (Melody)
• 1975, EP - “Yuri Antonov Sings” (“Why”, “No, Not Me”, “The Current Carries Me”) (Melody)
• 1975, minion - Valery Obodzinsky (songs “I sing for you”, “How can this be”) (Melody)
• 1975, EP - “Stereostrada” (one of the songs “Yesterday (Mailbox)”) (Melody)
• 1977, LP - “Indian Summer. Songs on the station I. Kokhanovsky" (songs "Indian Summer", "Garden Ring", "It's the Fall of the Leaves", "Without You") (Melody)
• 1978, LP - VIA “Jolly Fellows” (one of the songs is “Meeting”) (Melody)
• 1978, EP - VIA “Good fellows” and VIA “Leisya Song” (one of the songs is “Yesterday (mailbox)”) (Melody)
• 1978, EP - VIA “Red Poppies” (one of the songs is “Mirror”) (Melody)
• 1979, EP - Yuri Antonov with the group “Araks” (“Golden Staircase”, “To You”, “Mirror”, “Anastasia”) (Melody)
• 1980, EP - Yuri Antonov with the group “Araks” (“I remember”, “Don’t forget”, “My wealth”) (Melody)
• 1981, minion - group “Araks” (“Why would you?”, “Everything as before”) (Melody)
• 1982, film - group “Araks”, “Concert at the Leningrad Sports and Concert Complex” (“Don’t forget”, “Why would you?”, “Alarm Bell”)
• 1982, EP - Yuri Antonov with the group “Araks” (“Life”, “Road to the Sea”, “20 Years Later”) (Melody)
• 1982, minion - Yuri Antonov (“Poppies”, “Sea”, “That’s how it happens”) (Melody)
• 1982, EP - Yuri Antonov (“Our Highway”, “The Roof of Your House”, “Native Places”) (Melody)
• 1982, EP - VIA “Earthlings” (one of the songs is “Believe in a Dream”) (Melody)
• 1981, LP - Yuri Antonov (Jugoton, Yugoslavia)
• 1983, film - VIA “Blue Bird”, “Concert 02/15/1983” (“Life”, “That’s how it happens”, “I’m sorry, of course”)
• 1983, LP - VIA "Blue Bird". “Blue Bird at the Sports Palace in Luzhniki” (“White Ship”, “It will heal before the wedding”, “Take care of women”, “I am coming to meet you”, “Colored sounds”, “Wild horses”, “Moscow”, “With you” good for me") (Melody)
• 1983, LP - Yuri Antonov. “The roof of your house” (11 songs performed by the author) (Melody)
• 1983, LP - “The Adventures of the Grasshopper Kuzi” (Melody)
• 1983, LP - “New Adventures of the Grasshopper Kuzi” (Melody)
• 1985, LP - Yuri Antonov. " Believe in your dream"(9 songs performed by the author) (Melody)
• 1985, LP - Yuri Antonov. “My favorite songs” (Polarvox Music, Finland)
• 1986, minion - Yuri Antonov. "Yuri" (Polarvox Music, Finland)
• 1986, LP - Yuri Antonov. “The Long-Awaited Airplane” (9 songs performed by the author, arranged by V. Golutvin) (Melody)
• 1987, LP - Yuri Antonov. “From sadness to joy” (3 songs performed by the author, 7 songs performed by the group “Araks”) (Melody)
• 1988, LP - “The grasshopper Kuzya is wanted” (Melody)
• 1989, LP - “Grasshopper Kuzya on the planet Tuami” (Melody)
• 1990, LP (45 vol.) - “Moonlight Path” (6 songs performed by the author) (Metadigital)
• 1990, CD - “Moonlight Track” (Melody)
• 1991, CD - “Mirror” (Distronics Ltd.)
• 1993, CD - “The Current Carries Me” (Z-Records)
• 1994, CD - “Music and songs from films. Yu. Antonov" (RDM)
• 1994, CD - “Moonlight Track” (Z-Records)
• 1996, CD - “Songs for Children” (Z-Records)
• 1996, CD - “Mirror” (Z-Records)
• 1998, 2CD - “From Sadness to Joy”
• 2001, CD - “You are no more beautiful. 50/30" (Fiam-Disk)
• 2008, CD - “You are no more beautiful. 50/30" (Recording company "Nikitin")

February 19 People's Artist Russia's Yuri Antonov turned 70 years old. His songs are known and sung by several generations. They helped the eldest to build and live. Representatives of the era of gadgets and social networks dance to remixes of “I Remember” and “Golden Staircase” in fashionable clubs. Everything seems to be fine, but for more than 20 years we have not heard new songs from Antonov. Despite the dense tour schedule and active participation in national concerts, he rarely gives interviews and avoids communicating with fans... the site remembered the path of life great artist and tried to understand the reasons for his seclusion.

Yuri Antonov will become one of the mentors fourth season project “The Voice,” some journalists hastened to declare even before the end of the third season. And who else should I give the role of the honored grumbler who has gone through all the thorns? Soviet stage? But Yuri Mikhailovich surprised everyone by unexpectedly appearing on a competing channel in the project “ Main stage" To everyone's amazement, the artist even came to the presentation of the program. As usual, smiling, but not sociable. After sitting with Zhanna Rozhdestvenskaya and Konstantin Meladze, Antonov quickly took his leave. Already on the way out, we managed to catch up with the master and ask what prompted him to become a member of the jury of the popular show. He looked around, asked to get as close to him as possible and whispered confidentially in his ear: “Money, you understand? They decide everything!”

The answer was predictable. Antonov never hid his contempt for the popular prejudice that “an artist must be hungry.” The artist has always been able to monetize his talent.

Believe in your dream

Antonov earned his first fee at the age of 14 in his native Belarus. A first-year music school student got a job at the House of Culture in the village of Molodechnoye as the director of the choir in the depot. And he received the same salary as adults - 60 rubles. The first successes became a springboard into great life. Next was the Minsk Philharmonic. And at the age of 24, Antonov was invited to work in the popular Leningrad VIA “Singing Guitars” as an instrumentalist-keyboardist. In this group the artist became a vocalist. His first songs “Airport”, “Where is the courage?”, “Stop, don’t shoot, soldier!” were performed here.

In the 1970s, Antonov’s songs were performed by the popular VIA “Earthlings” and “Blue Bird”, Lev Leshchenko and Valery Obodzinsky. And the 1980s become the golden period of the composer and singer. All-Union glory, crowds of fans, millions of records sold by the Melodiya company... Hits “I Remember”, “Don’t Forget”, “Mirror”, “20 Years Later”, “Sea”, “The Roof of Your House”, “I’ll Pass on Apricot" become the anthems of several generations.

It happened that at the final of the Song of the Year festival, several performers and groups performed works by the artist and composer. But how did the state thank its “nightingale”?

Golden staircase

While Elton John, Engelbert Humperdinck and Tom Jones were earning millions in the West, their no less talented Soviet colleague, according to the regular schedule of the Moscow Philharmonic soloist, received 30 rubles per concert. The salary was very average for those times. Like many Soviet citizens, the pop star had to “fart.” In the late 70s, the artist’s second wife was Mila Bobanovich, a native of Yugoslavia. Thanks to this marriage, the artist began to travel to the West, buy foreign equipment and sell it to colleagues in the Soviet Union. This unofficial extra income allowed Antonov in 1983 to purchase a very rare Volvo 244 car for the USSR for 14 thousand rubles. At this time, the singer and composer’s garage already contained the scarce and so desirable VAZ 2103 and VAZ 2106 for every Soviet citizen.

“Business went so well that he literally had bags of money. And Yura told me: “I don’t know where to spend it! Even if I drink every day, eat in the best restaurants, live in the best hotels, I won’t spend that much,” TV presenter Yuri Nikolaev recalled in an interview.

That's how it happens

For a quarter of a century, no new songs have been heard from Yuri Antonov. However, his phenomenon is that he is still one of the most popular and touring artists!

The singer and composer answers questions from journalists: “Those who have bad old ones need new songs.” And this is definitely not about him.

Meanwhile, friends of the hero of the day claim that Antonov’s resentment towards music industry modern times and the omnivorous public.

In the late 80s, the master began to be pushed out by cooperative ensembles such as “Mirage” and “ Tender May" The fickle public chose other idols. The artist received calls with offers of tours less and less often. But Antonov did not know how to remind himself, “shine” in all television programs indiscriminately, and did not want to learn. Then he tried to retrain as a producer.

His project was singer Svetlana Almazova. He wrote the album “Sweet Honey” especially for her, but the project did not take off, and, in the end, Antonov closed it and tried to remove the album from the market.

Only in the early 2000s, when retro festivals swept the country, did the public remember Antonov’s songs. Then the artist again found himself on a wave of success - and this without new hits!

As before, broadcasts on central television channels, tours throughout the country... True, the artist’s relationship with promoters today is tense. Concert organizers claim that Yuri Mikhailovich is a man of mood. He can refuse to perform literally the day before, but he always returns the fees honestly.

Roof of the house

The most important recluse of the domestic show business lives in a huge mansion with an area of ​​1200 square meters, 15 kilometers from Moscow along the Minsk Highway. The artist has been building it for more than 15 years.

The artist moved “under the roof of his house” in 2011. According to Antonov’s friends, there is a 25-meter swimming pool, a modern recording studio, 8 bedrooms, and a cinema hall with 50 seats. There is also a pond with mirror koi and a tennis court on the property.

Oddly enough, the main guests of the artist’s residence were stray cats and dogs. Antonov collects them on the streets of Moscow. The singer even has a special room with a huge refrigerator stocked with food for his pets.

Antonov spends most of his time on his country estate. As the master admits, he is much more comfortable there, because there is no extra people. And a high fence saves you from intrusive society.

If love doesn't come true, do as you want

Yuri Antonov's first passion was Polytechnic College student Margarita, whom the composer met in his native village of Molodechnoye. And this love was tragic: the girl chose someone else. Many years later, she came to the star Antonov backstage, but he received her very coolly.

Yuri’s mother instilled a love for music; it was she who sent her son to a music school, after which he entered Molodechno music school per class folk instruments. During his student years, Antonov organized his first band - a pop orchestra, performing at the local House of Culture.

After graduating from college in 1963, Antonov was assigned to be a teacher at the Minsk children's music school, where he began working as a soloist-instrumentalist in the State Philharmonic. But in 1964 he was drafted into the army, after which he returned to the Philharmonic, where he began to manage the Tonika ensemble.

In 1969, the artist was invited to work as a keyboard player in the popular Leningrad group VIA "Singing Guitars". Over time, he became the vocalist of the group. A year later, Yuri moved to Moscow, where he got a job at the Dobry Molodtsy VIA. Afterwards he joined the Sovremennik orchestra, and also led the ensemble at the capital's music hall. Over time, Antonov became the artistic director of VIA Magistral under regional philharmonic society and at the All-Union Recording Company "Melodiya".

In 1973, the first EP by Yuri Antonov and Sovremennik was released, which included the songs “The Third Day”, “What to do with it?”, “At the Birches and Pines”. And three years later, the artist and VIA “Dobry Molodtsy” recorded an album with Antonov’s compositions “No, not me,” “Why,” and “The Current Carries Me.” Soon the musician's first compositions appeared in the repertoire of the VIA "Jolly Fellows". At that time, Antonov’s songs were performed by many famous VIAs of the 70s, such as: “Singing Hearts”, “Earthlings” and “Red Poppies”.

In the early 80s, thanks to his collaboration with the Araks group, Antonov gained all-Union popularity. His records sell millions of copies, and Yuri himself becomes one of best performers in the USSR. His songs become the soundtracks of popular films of that time, and their author himself begins to tour abroad, where his records are also sold.

In 1983, Antonov became a soloist of the Chechen-Ingush Philharmonic, where he soon received the title of Honored Artist of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. After collaborating with VIA "Blue Bird", Antonov released the disc "The Roof of Your House", which included songs from five minions of the composer with different instrumental ensembles. Also, Antonov, together with Mikhail Plyatskovsky, are writing several parts of the musical for children “The Adventures of the Grasshopper Kuzi.” And in 1983, for the first time, he made it to the finals of the Song of the Year festival with the composition “The Roof of Your House.”

In 1982, Antonov organized the Airbus group and two years later released two albums, “Believe in the Dream” and “The Long-awaited Airplane.” A few years later, Yuri Antonov began working as a soloist-vocalist at the Mosconcert. In 1987, his giant disc “From Sorrow to Joy” was released.

In 2000, Antonov presented the album “There is no more beautiful you,” which included compositions recorded back in 1995 with Mikhail Finberg’s orchestra to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Yuri’s creative activity. By that time, the author and performer had about 20 records and discs, total circulation amounted to 48 million copies.

Personal life

Was married three times. The artist’s first wife was a girl named Anastasia, who eventually moved to the USA and lives there in New York City. Antonov’s second wife was Miroslava, who, after breaking up with the singer, moved to the Croatian city of Zagreb. The third wife, Anna, lives in Paris. Children: daughter Lyudmila and son Mikhail.

Interesting facts

IN Soviet era Yu. Antonov, by his own admission, officially, from copyrights, earned more than a million rubles

In the movie "The Kingslayer" characters watching on TV a fragment of a video clip included in a musical television film based on the songs of Yuri Antonov “About You and About Me” for the song “The Long-awaited Airplane”

In 1990 and 1991 he voiced the cartoons "The Adventures of the Grasshopper Kuzi"

Wrote music for the films: “Take Care of Women”, “An Unfamiliar Song”, “Before We Part”, “Beauty Salon”, “Order”, “The Adventures of Sadko the Bear”, “Fools Die on Fridays” and “Predators”

He starred in such films as “Where Will He Go!”, “An Unfamiliar Song”, “Before We Part” and “Goodbye, Zamoskvoretsk punks...”

Adheres to monarchical views

Vice-President of the International Union of Workers pop art and member of the author's council of RAO

Discography

1983 - The roof of your house

1983 - The Adventures of Kuzi the Grasshopper

1985 - Believe in your dream

1986 - The long-awaited plane

- a true legend of the Soviet and subsequently Russian stage. Popular talented singer, composer, songwriter. Born on February 19, 1945 in hot Tashkent.

Childhood, parents and nationality

Yuri Mikhailovich has no Uzbek roots. Both of his parents are Russian. Fate determined the birthplace of little Yura. During the difficult war years, Tashkent was the site of mass evacuation of military families. Antonov's father was a career military man, and his mother Natalya, along with other officers' wives, was in distant Tashkent. Mikhail Antonov came there to see his beloved for just a few days in June 1944.

After the end of the war, Mikhail Antonov remained to serve in Germany, and his wife and son moved in with him. But this won't last long, just a few years. Already in 1948, the Antonovs moved to Belarus. Having changed several garrisons, the family, which already has two children, settles in the small cozy town of Molodechno.

Informed choice

The boy always liked music. Fortunately, there was also a music school in the town. Rejoicing at her son's hobby, his mother took him to learn to play folk music. musical instruments. Everything came easy to Yura, but he still gave preference to the accordion, which sounded completely special in his hands. Regular school The boy didn’t like it too much, even though he tried to study well. But he devoted himself entirely to music.

During his childhood, he constantly performed on the stages of both schools. The audience warmly received the talented boy, and by the end of school there were no doubts about the choice of professional and life path Yuri didn't have any left. He saw himself only in music and easily passed the exams at the music school, where he received the specialty of conducting a folk choir.

First steps

He started making his first money from music quite early. Already at the age of 14 he received a salary choral conductor, however, very modest - only 60 rubles. In addition, even as a student, he showed excellent leadership abilities and managed to put together his own first group of the same young guys. The boys often appeared on the stage of the city House of Culture, performing popular pop songs.

After studying, Yuri's assignment directs him to work in one of the Minsk music schools. But as soon as he had the opportunity to perform on the professional stage, he immediately made a decision and moved to the position of soloist of the regional philharmonic society. Emergency service interrupts military service for two years musical career Antonov. But even there he continues to study music as part of an amateur ensemble.

Soon after his return, Antonov became the musical director of the Belarusian ensemble “Tonika”, which was quite famous in those days. Such work gives him invaluable experience in organizing work on the professional stage, opens up the behind-the-scenes of the pop scene and brings new interesting acquaintances, which subsequently influence his future.

Leningrad

“Tonika” performs not only in Belarus, but also tours a lot throughout the territory former USSR And talented Yuri colleagues on stage quickly notice. Already in 1969 he was invited to move to Leningrad and become a keyboard player in the very famous group “Singing Guitars”. Yuri is simply happy, but this turned out to be only the beginning of his rapid musical career.

Quite quickly from the position of a musician he moves to the position of a vocalist and in the same year he sings with big stage their first original songs, one of which is “Airport” on for many years becomes his musical business card. However, another composition brought him wide fame. A few months later, Antonov’s first mini-album with the song “There is no more beautiful you” was released. A few days later it was already sounding from almost all the windows.

Moscow

The young performer, who quickly became super popular, moves to Moscow and becomes the soloist of another very famous group“Good fellows.” However, Yuri dreams of writing and performing his own own songs. He changes one job after another in search of an opportunity to realize his own style of creativity. During this time a lot has been written and recorded good songs, several records have been released.

Easy to communicate and talented, Antonov manages to establish and maintain good relationship with almost all famous Moscow groups and performers. He actively works at the country's main recording studio "Melody", works closely with the "Sovremennik" orchestra, writes for " Cheerful guys", "Singing Hearts", "Earthlings" and "Red Poppies". Songs young composer Lev Leshchenko, already famous in those years, took it into his repertoire.

On the crest of a wave

Although Yuri Antonov is already at the top musical Olympus, but he is better known as a composer. He dreams of a solo career and own group. And only as part of the Araks ensemble does he practically solo concert, and then records an album. in which he himself performs his own songs, almost all of which became popular hits: “White Ship”, “Mirror”, “That’s How It Happens”, “I Remember” and others.

In 1983, with his song “The Roof of Your House,” he made it to the finals of the Song of the Year, and then to the filming of the most popular musical television program, “Wider Circle.” After these broadcasts, he becomes famous throughout the territory Soviet Union. The touring era begins. Yuri Antonov's concerts attract entire stadiums of spectators. Even the famous Luzhniki Stadium, which seats tens of thousands of spectators, is almost impossible to get tickets for.

This continues until 1987. During this difficult period for everyone, Yuri Antonov allowed himself to make public statements addressed to cultural leaders of a fairly high rank, and their reaction was mass persecution of the artist. For almost two years he disappears from TV screens and everyone concert venues. But, having survived this crisis. The artist finds the strength to continue his creative career.

Modern Antonov

After the collapse of the Union, Antonov continues to tour throughout the post-Soviet space and even for his foreign compatriots in Germany, Israel, and even the USA. Several more of his records come out and become very popular. children's musical about the grasshopper Kuzya. Until 2002, Antonov did not miss a single Song of the Year festival, where he regularly received diplomas for new popular songs.

After 2002, he practically completed solo career and stopped writing new songs. IN lately he works a lot with young performers and since 2009 has been a permanent member of the jury of the prestigious competition “ New wave" And since 2014 – one of the mentors of the “Voice” project.

In 2015, Yuri Antonov decided to keep up with the times and created his own account in social network Instagram, where he posted photos from family archive, and their number is about two dozen.

However, the page was hacked and a lot of bad information was posted. After this incident, the composer publicly announced that he was deleting his account, and this statement was supported by the artist’s personal lawyer.

The next year, 2016, became quite difficult for the singer, as he had health problems. The artist tried to refute the media's assumption of a heart attack and reported that it was only a minor food poisoning.

But after some time, the singer fell ill again, and this time things were more serious, as he even had to cancel his participation in the “Chanson of the Year” competition, as well as several concerts and planned tours.

Unfortunately, the composer relegated his creativity to the background, motivating this by his rather respectful age. However, in 2018, the composer expanded his album “Road to the Sea” with a new masterpiece “Girl school years" The artist also managed to take part in one of the children’s competitions “Blue Bird” and in a concert for Victory Day.

Personal life and wife of Yuri Antonov

Yuri Antonov tried not to advertise his personal life too much. He was married three times, but marriages various reasons didn't work out. His first wife moved to America. The other, Croatian by origin, now lives in her native Zagreb. And his third wife, from whom she gave birth to his long-awaited son in 1996, now lives in Paris, although she is Russian by origin.