Eduard Khil

At 77 years old, Eduard Khil has this physical status:

After graduating he became interested in pop music after attending a Klavdiya Shulzhenko concert, and started to perform popular music. This led to him winning several prizes in the next two decades. He won the "All Russian Competition for Performers" in 1962 and was invited to perform at the "Festival of Soviet Songs" in 1965. He attained second place in Sopot International Song Festival in 1965. In 1967, composer Andrey Petrov won the USSR State Prize for a collection of songs performed mainly by Khil, and in 1968 Khil was awarded the Honored Artist of the RSFSR. The Order of the Red Banner of Labour was awarded in 1971, and Russia's most prestigious artist award, the People's Artist of the RSFSR, was awarded to Khil in 1974. He was so successful that the public called him the 'Symbol of Leningrad'.

Between 1977 and 1979, Khil taught solo singing at the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts.

Khil toured in over 80 countries and lived at Tolstoy House (Russian: Толсто́вский дом) in Saint Petersburg.

After his singing career faded in the early 1990s, Khil re-entered private life and worked in a cafe in Paris, singing cabaret. In 1996, upon the suggestion of his son Dmitry, he became part of Khil and the Sons, a joint project with the rock band Prepinaki.

For his 75th birthday, Khil was awarded the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class in 2009 by Russia and, in 2010, performed in Saint Petersburg's Victory Day Parade.

He was the first artist to sing such songs as Woodcutters (Russian: Лесору́бы), I am so happy to be finally back at home, Moonstone (Russian: Лунный камень) by Arkady Ostrovsky, A song about a friend (Russian: Пе́сня о дру́ге), And people go to the sea (Russian: А лю́ди ухо́дят в мо́ре) by Andrey Petrov and Blue Cities (Russian: Голубы́е города́). Other popular songs performed by Khil included From where does the homeland begin? (Russian: С чего́ начина́ется Ро́дина?), How the steamers are seen off (Russian: Как провожа́ют парохо́ды), Winter (Russian: Зима́), Birch sap (Russian: Берёзовый сок), Alder Catkin (Russian: Серёжка ольхо́вая), We need one victory (Russian: Нам нужна́ одна́ побе́да), and many others.

Khil's manner of singing and performance was unique and easily recognizable in Russia (as well as in other countries that were part of the USSR), characterized by his personal charm and his lyrical baritone, which combined a degree of optimism and humor.

Source

• Winner of Second All-Russian competition of performers (1962)
• Sopot International Song Festival second prize (1965)
• Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1968)
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1971)
• People's Artist of the RSFSR (1974)
• Lenin Komsomol Prize (1976)
• Order of Friendship of Peoples (1981)
• Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class (2009)
• Utyosov Prize