Muslim Magomayev

Muslim Magometovich Magomayev (Azerbaijani: Müslüm Məhəmməd oğlu Maqomayev, 17 August 1942 – 25 October 2008), dubbed the "King of Songs" and the "Soviet Sinatra" was a Soviet Azerbajiani baritone operatic pop singer. He achieved iconic status in Russia and the post-Soviet countries for his vocal talent and charisma.

Muslim Magomayev represented one of the most respected artistic dynasties in Azerbaijan. His grandfather Muslim Magomayev (1885–1937), a friend and contemporary of the prominent Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, was one of the founders of modern Azerbaijani classical music. Magomayev's father, Mahammad Magomayev, who died two days prior to the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II while serving as a soldier in the Soviet Army, was a gifted scenic designer; and his mother, Aishet Kinzhalova, was an actress, who deserted him with his grandmother when he was less than a year old. Magomayev's father was of mixed origin whose parents moved to Azerbaijan from Chechnya and Georgia respectively, whereas his Adyghean-born mother was of mixed Turkish, Adyghe and Russian descent. However, when asked about his ethnicity, Magomayev considered himself Azerbaijani.

Abandoned by his mother after his father's death, Magomayev was raised by his paternal grandmother. He learned to play the piano as a child, and began to take voice lessons at the age of 14. As a teenager, he became interested in Italian songs, American jazz, and other styles of popular music. He majored in piano and composition at the Baku Conservatoire.