Joseph Kobzon
Encyclopedia
Iosif Davydovich Kobzon is a Soviet and Russian singer, known for his crooner
style.
, in the Donbass region of Ukraine
.
As a boy he demonstrated a talent for singing, winning numerous regional singing contests. He reached the national finals on two separate occasions, appearing in concerts dedicated to Joseph Stalin
- a significant honour at the time.
Despite his talent for singing, Kobzon went on to technical school to study geology and mining, as this was considered a lucrative vocation in the Soviet Union
following the Second World War. However, in 1956, following his contact with professional music instructors in the Soviet Army
, he decided that music would be his preferred vocation.
Initially, he performed in a duet with the tenor Viktor Kokhno, but was eventually offered a solo repertoire by many of the outstanding composers of the time such as Mark Fradkin, Alexander Dolukhanian and Yan Frenkel
.
In 1962, he recorded his first LP which included songs written by Aleksandra Pakhmutova
.
In 1964 he triumphed at the International Song Contest in Sopot
, Poland
, and in the following year he took part in the "Friendship" contest held across six nations, winning first prize in Warsaw
, Berlin
and Budapest
.
His popularity rose quickly, and demand for his singing saw him frequently performing two to three concerts a day.
His most popular hit song at the time was titled "A u nas vo dvore".
During Leonid Brezhnev
's time in office (1964–82), there was hardly an official concert where Kobzon did not take part, and in 1980 he was awarded the honour of People's Artist of the USSR
.
In 1983, Kobzon was expelled from the Communist Party
and reprimanded for performing Jewish songs on stage in support of Israel (a country which had no diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union).
However, the following year, (1984) his reputation was restored, as he was honored with the USSR State Prize
.
His best known song is "Instants" from the legendary Soviet TV series "Seventeen Instants of Spring" (1973).
Joseph Kobzon appeared with solo concerts in most cities of the former USSR. He was also bestowed the rare honour of performing international concerts tours as a representative of USSR in United States
, Panama
, Peru
, Ecuador
, Bolivia
, Uruguay
, Costa Rica
, Argentina
, Israel
, Republic of the Congo
, Zaire
, Angola
, Nigeria
, Portugal
, Spain
, Sweden
, Germany
, Greece
, and Finland
.
Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with many Western superstars, including the likes of Liza Minnelli
and Julio Iglesias
.
In 1986, he was the first celebrity to visit and perform in the town of Chernobyl
to cheer the nuclear reactor rescuers. Since then, Kobzon has performed on many occasions in disaster areas, and military hot-spots such as Afghanistan
during the Soviet-Afghan war, and Chechnya
.
Although, Joseph Kobzon officially ended his international touring career in 1997, he continues to appear in regular concerts before audiences around the world, and is frequently seen on Russian television to date.
, one of the best known comic actresses of the Soviet cinema. In 1971 he married his current wife Ninel Drizina with whom he had 2 children.
In 2002, Kobzon is noted for risking his life as the key negotiator in the Moscow theater hostage crisis
. His bravery resulted in a mother with 3 children and a citizen of the United Kingdom being rescued.
Kobzon has been active in Russian politics, since 1989. He is probably the most experienced Russian MP
, and also the one who gets reelected with the largest margin in the country's history. Between 2005 and 2007, he was the head of the State Duma
's culture committee.
In 2009 he was bestowed the rare award of Honorary Citizen of Moscow, becoming the 24th individual ever to be so honoured, and sharing this status with people such as Pavel Tretyakov
, Prince Vladimir Galitzine
and Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow.
To honour his remarkable musical, political and humanitarian achievements, in 2003, there was a statue of Joseph Kobzon erected near his birthplace, in Donetsk
, Ukraine. Such an honour to be bestowed during one's lifetime is considered to be highly unique by any nation's standards, and has cemented Kobzon's popularity as a "living legend".
In 2007 Joseph Kobzon's name was entered into the Official Book of Russian Records as the most decorated artist in the country's history.
Medals
Titles
Kobzon is an honorary citizen of 28 cities: Anapa
, Saratov
(1998), Donetsk
(2007), Bishkek
, Dnepropetrovsk, Kramatorsk
, Noginsk
, Poltava
, Slavic
(1999), Chasiv Yar
, Cherkessk
, Artemovsk
, Horlivka
and others. He is also an honorary citizen of the Saratov Oblast
, Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug
(abolished 1 January 2008) and the Transbaikal Oblast (23 September 2010).
On 31 March 2009, Kobzon was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Moscow - "for his services and contribution to the organization and development of national culture, long-term activities designed to meet the challenges of the patriotic and cultural education of the Russian people, as well as charitable activity in the city of Moscow and other Russian regions".
Awards
Other honours
. The parallels between the two legends of the entertainment world are so uncanny, that Kobzon has been branded the nickname of 'Russia's Frank Sinatra'.
Besides their overwhelmingly successful singing careers, both Sinatra and Kobzon used their popularity towards an active involvement in politics. As a result, to counter their influence in the political arena, they both fell victim to smear campaigns about their respective involvement with the mafia.
Kobzon was already a legendary personality in the music world when the Soviet Union
collapsed. Soon after, the country's political and social affairs fell under the influence of criminal activity with the rise of organised crime groups (later known as the 'Russian mafia'). Kobzon never denied knowing some alleged mafia members, stating that he was an entertainer for the people irrespective of their politics, nationality, religion or profession.
Frank Sinatra also had mafia acquaintances such as mobster Sam Giancana
.
Kobzon explains that for both Sinatra and himself such acquaintances were an unavoidable symptom of being a popular entertainer at a time when organized crime was a prevalent force in their respective countries.
In 1995, Kobzon was denied entry to the United States due to the mafia connection allegations. Challenging the visa denial was impossible since U.S. consular decisions are not subject to judicial review.
However, no formal accusations, investigation results, or evidence in support of the visa denial were published by the American authorities, nor has such information been released to Kobzon himself.
Due to a lack of available facts on the matter, rumours began to emerge about Kobzon's possible involvement in mafia-style activities, including arms-trafficking, gambling, pharmaceuticals, nightclubs, casinos and other shady acitivities. Similar rumours existed about Sinatra's interests in the mafia world.
The parallels between Kobzon and Sinatra quickly captured the imagination of audiences, and soon became the focus of media articles, books and novels claiming to have detailed knowledge of Russia's gangster world based on inside information obtained from the CIA.
Kobzon has since successfully sued numerous publications for propagating unsubstantiated rumours, presenting a multitude of personal and professional references from the likes of Vladimir Putin
and Dmitry Medvedev
, who have attested to his impeccable reputation and great honour.
Kobzon explains that books and newspaper articles written about his association with the Russian mafia are almost invariably authored by unknown individuals who have taken the opportunity of using his name in attempt to make a name for themselves.
In defending his reputation, Kobzon also attempted suing the U.S. government arguing that by denying visa applicants recourse to judicial protection, the powers of U.S. consular services contradict the Separation of Powers
principles of government, and are, therefore, open to abuse by individual government organs. Kobzon submitted that the visa denial stemmed from allegations contained in a fabricated information file supplied to the Americans by Yeltsin's henchmen, who 'used' the Americans in an engineered attempt at Kobzon's character-assassination. This was a protective measure employed against Kobzon by political powers at the time who were threatened by both his enormous popularity and independent political alignment. See "Kobzon’s US visa denial – Character-Assassination Without Recourse to Justice".http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/dgewgwwgwd&date=2009-10-25+19:28:37
Kobzon has enjoyed the freedom of travel to most other countries around the world, and claims that his life-long achievements are evidence of his true nature. He considers the US visa decision, as an act of reckless politics that is now outdated and irrelevant.
Crooner
Crooner is an American epithet given to male singers of pop standards, mostly from the Great American Songbook, either backed by a full orchestra, a big band or by a piano. Originally it was an ironic term denoting an emphatically sentimental, often emotional singing style made possible by the use...
style.
Early life
Kobzon was born to Jewish parents in the mining town of Chasiv YarChasiv Yar
Chasiv Yar is a city in Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine. Population is 16,612 .Joseph Kobzon is an iconic Soviet crooner who has been acclaimed as "the official voice of the Soviet Union". He was born on September 11, 1937 to Jewish parents in the mining town of Chasiv Yar....
, in the Donbass region of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
As a boy he demonstrated a talent for singing, winning numerous regional singing contests. He reached the national finals on two separate occasions, appearing in concerts dedicated to Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
- a significant honour at the time.
Despite his talent for singing, Kobzon went on to technical school to study geology and mining, as this was considered a lucrative vocation in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
following the Second World War. However, in 1956, following his contact with professional music instructors in the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
, he decided that music would be his preferred vocation.
Stage career
In 1958 Kobzon officially started his singing career in Moscow, and enrolled to study at the Gnessin Institute. In the next few years he made valuable contacts in Moscow's entertainment world, and was eventually given a chance by composer Arkady Ostrovski to perform some of his music.Initially, he performed in a duet with the tenor Viktor Kokhno, but was eventually offered a solo repertoire by many of the outstanding composers of the time such as Mark Fradkin, Alexander Dolukhanian and Yan Frenkel
Yan Frenkel
Yan Abramovich Frenkel was a popular Soviet composer and performer.-Biography:Frenkel was born in Kiev, Ukraine. He was originally taught violin by his father, and later studied classical violin at the Kiev Conservatory under Yakob Magaziner...
.
In 1962, he recorded his first LP which included songs written by Aleksandra Pakhmutova
Aleksandra Pakhmutova
Aleksandra "Alya" Nikolayevna Pakhmutova has remained one of the best known figures in Soviet and later Russian popular music since she first achieved fame in her homeland in the 1960s....
.
In 1964 he triumphed at the International Song Contest in Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and in the following year he took part in the "Friendship" contest held across six nations, winning first prize in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.
His popularity rose quickly, and demand for his singing saw him frequently performing two to three concerts a day.
His most popular hit song at the time was titled "A u nas vo dvore".
During Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
's time in office (1964–82), there was hardly an official concert where Kobzon did not take part, and in 1980 he was awarded the honour of People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to citizens of the Soviet Union.- Nomenclature and significance :...
.
In 1983, Kobzon was expelled from the Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
and reprimanded for performing Jewish songs on stage in support of Israel (a country which had no diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union).
However, the following year, (1984) his reputation was restored, as he was honored with the USSR State Prize
USSR State Prize
The USSR State Prize was the Soviet Union's state honour. It was established on September 9, 1966. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the prize was followed up by the State Prize of the Russian Federation....
.
His best known song is "Instants" from the legendary Soviet TV series "Seventeen Instants of Spring" (1973).
Joseph Kobzon appeared with solo concerts in most cities of the former USSR. He was also bestowed the rare honour of performing international concerts tours as a representative of USSR in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
, Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with many Western superstars, including the likes of Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
and Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
.
In 1986, he was the first celebrity to visit and perform in the town of Chernobyl
Chernobyl
Chernobyl or Chornobyl is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, in Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. The city had been the administrative centre of the Chernobyl Raion since 1932....
to cheer the nuclear reactor rescuers. Since then, Kobzon has performed on many occasions in disaster areas, and military hot-spots such as Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
during the Soviet-Afghan war, and Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
.
Although, Joseph Kobzon officially ended his international touring career in 1997, he continues to appear in regular concerts before audiences around the world, and is frequently seen on Russian television to date.
Family life
Kobzon was married three times. In 1965 to the singer Veronika Kruglova; then in 1969 Kobzon married Lyudmila GurchenkoLyudmila Gurchenko
Lyudmila Markovna Gurchenko was a popular Soviet and Russian actress, singer and entertainer.-Biography:Lyudmila was born in Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR in 1935 to Mark Gavrilovich Gurchenko and Yelena Aleksandrovna Simonova-Gurchenko . Before the World War II they lived in a single room apartment on...
, one of the best known comic actresses of the Soviet cinema. In 1971 he married his current wife Ninel Drizina with whom he had 2 children.
Achievements
Kobzon has a reputation for his readiness to help others. He has earned enormous respect amongst Russians for committing substantial sums of his personal wealth to help thousands of Russia's poor and unfortunate, including the funding of numerous orphanages around the country.In 2002, Kobzon is noted for risking his life as the key negotiator in the Moscow theater hostage crisis
Moscow theater hostage crisis
The Moscow theater hostage crisis, also known as the 2002 Nord-Ost siege, was the seizure of the crowded Dubrovka Theater on 23 October 2002 by some 40 to 50 armed Chechens who claimed allegiance to the Islamist militant separatist movement in Chechnya. They took 850 hostages and demanded the...
. His bravery resulted in a mother with 3 children and a citizen of the United Kingdom being rescued.
Kobzon has been active in Russian politics, since 1989. He is probably the most experienced Russian MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, and also the one who gets reelected with the largest margin in the country's history. Between 2005 and 2007, he was the head of the State Duma
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
's culture committee.
In 2009 he was bestowed the rare award of Honorary Citizen of Moscow, becoming the 24th individual ever to be so honoured, and sharing this status with people such as Pavel Tretyakov
Pavel Tretyakov
Pavel Mikhaylovich Tretyakov was a Russian businessman, patron of art, collector, and philanthropist who gave his name to the Tretyakov Gallery and Tretyakov Drive in Moscow. His brother S.M. Tretyakov was also a famous patron of art and a philanthropist....
, Prince Vladimir Galitzine
Galitzine
For Orthodox clergyman and theologian, see Alexander Golitzin.The Galitzines are one of the largest and noblest princely houses of Russia. Since the extinction of the Korecki family in the 17th century, the Golitsyns have claimed dynastic seniority in the House of Gediminas...
and Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow.
To honour his remarkable musical, political and humanitarian achievements, in 2003, there was a statue of Joseph Kobzon erected near his birthplace, in Donetsk
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
, Ukraine. Such an honour to be bestowed during one's lifetime is considered to be highly unique by any nation's standards, and has cemented Kobzon's popularity as a "living legend".
In 2007 Joseph Kobzon's name was entered into the Official Book of Russian Records as the most decorated artist in the country's history.
Honours and awards
- Order of Merit for the FatherlandOrder of Merit for the FatherlandThe Order of Merit for the Fatherland was instituted on 2 March 1994 by Presidential Decree. The statutes describe it as a decoration for merit, not an order of knights....
;- 2nd class (21 September 2002) - for outstanding contribution to culture and music
- 3rd class (11 September 1997) - for his great personal contribution to the development of musical art
- Order of CourageOrder of CourageThe Order of Courage is a decoration presented by the government of the Russian Federation. Established in 1994, the order is presented for "acts of courage or self-sacrifice."- External links :* *...
(30 December 2002) - for courage and dedication shown during the rescue of people in a situation involving a risk to life during an act of terrorism and hostage-taking at the Dubrovka Theatre in Moscow in October 2002 - Order of Friendship of PeoplesOrder of Friendship of PeoplesThe Order of Friendship of Peoples was an order of the Soviet Union, and was awarded to persons , organizations, enterprises, military units, as well as administrative subdivisions of the USSR for accomplishments in strengthening of inter-ethnic and international friendship and cooperation, for...
- Order of Glory (Azerbaijan) (2007) - for services to strengthen cultural ties between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan
- Officer of the Order of Merit of Hungary (2007)
- Order of Merit (Ukraine)Order of Merit (Ukraine)The Order of Merit first, second or third class, is the Ukrainian award, given to individuals for outstanding achievements in economics, science, culture, military or political spheres of activity...
;- 2nd class (3 July 2002) - for personal contribution to the socio-economic and cultural development of the area, professionalism, and to mark the 70th anniversary of Donetsk region
- 3rd class (18 February 2000) - a significant personal contribution to the development of art song, many years of fruitful creative and social activities
- Dostyk order, 2nd class (Kazakhstan, 2008)
- Order of Holy Prince Daniel of MoscowOrder of Holy Prince Daniel of MoscowThe Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow is an award of the Russian Orthodox Church, established in 1978...
, 2nd class (Russian Orthodox ChurchRussian Orthodox ChurchThe Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
, 1998) - Order of St. Sergius, 2nd class (Russian Orthodox Church, 2002)
- Order "For Merit" (Republic of Ingushetia, 2008)
Medals
- Medal "For Services to the Stavropol Territory" (Stavropol Territory, June 2008) - for outstanding contribution to the development of art and culture, preservation and promotion of the best examples of patriotic songs of Russia
- Medal "Glory of AdygeaAdygeaThe Republic of Adygea is a federal subject of Russia enclaved within Krasnodar Krai. Its area is with a population of 440,388 . Its capital is Maykop.-Geography:...
" (2008) - Medal of Merit for the Chechen Republic
- Medal "Astana"
Titles
- People's Artist of USSR (1987)
- People's Artist of RSFSR (1980)
- People's Artist of UkrainePeople's Artist of UkrainePeople's Artist of Ukraine is an honorary and the highest title awarding to outstanding performing artists whose merits are exceptional in the sphere of the development of the performing arts ....
(1991) - Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1973)
- People's Artist of Dagestan ASSR (1974)
- Honoured Artist of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist RepublicChechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist RepublicThe Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, or Chechen–Ingush ASSR ;) was an autonomous republic within the Russian SFSR...
(1964) - Honoured Artist of AdygeaAdygeaThe Republic of Adygea is a federal subject of Russia enclaved within Krasnodar Krai. Its area is with a population of 440,388 . Its capital is Maykop.-Geography:...
(1992) - Honoured Artist of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (2008)
- People's Artist of North Ossetia-AlaniaNorth Ossetia-AlaniaThe Republic of North Ossetia–Alania is a federal subject of Russia . Its population according to the 2010 Census was 712,877.-Name:...
(2008) - Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts
- Honoured Worker of the Federal Bailiff Service
Kobzon is an honorary citizen of 28 cities: Anapa
Anapa
Anapa is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov. It was originally a seaport for the Natkhuay tribe of the Adyghe people. Population: The town boasts a number of sanatoria and hotels...
, Saratov
Saratov
-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...
(1998), Donetsk
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
(2007), Bishkek
Bishkek
Bishkek , formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and the largest city of Kyrgyzstan.Bishkek is also the administrative centre of Chuy Province which surrounds the city, even though the city itself is not part of the province but rather a province-level unit of Kyrgyzstan.The name is thought to...
, Dnepropetrovsk, Kramatorsk
Kramatorsk
Kramatorsk is a city in the eastern Ukraine within Donetsk Oblast. Its population is about 200,000 people, including surrounding settlements under Kramatorsk City Council government....
, Noginsk
Noginsk
Noginsk is a town and the administrative center of Noginsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located east of the MKAD ring road on the Klyazma River. Population:...
, Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
, Slavic
Slavic
Slav, Slavic or Slavonic may refer to:*Slavic peoples**Slavic languages**Slavic mythology**Slavic names** Slavic surnames**the Church Slavonic language, and its earliest form, the Old Church Slavonic language...
(1999), Chasiv Yar
Chasiv Yar
Chasiv Yar is a city in Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine. Population is 16,612 .Joseph Kobzon is an iconic Soviet crooner who has been acclaimed as "the official voice of the Soviet Union". He was born on September 11, 1937 to Jewish parents in the mining town of Chasiv Yar....
, Cherkessk
Cherkessk
Cherkessk is the capital city of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russia, as well as its political, economic, and cultural center. Population: 121,439 ; 116,244 ; -History:...
, Artemovsk
Artemovsk
Artemovsk may refer to:* Artemivsk, city in Ukraine * Artemivsk, city in Ukraine * Artyomovsk, city in Russia...
, Horlivka
Horlivka
Horlivka is a city in the Donetsk Oblast of eastern Ukraine. As of 2001, the city's population was 292,000. It is a coal mining and chemical industry centre...
and others. He is also an honorary citizen of the Saratov Oblast
Saratov Oblast
Saratov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the Volga Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Saratov. Population: -Demographics:Population:...
, Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug
Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug
Ust-Orda Buryat Okrug , or Ust-Orda Buryatia, is an administrative division of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia.It was a federal subject of Russia from 1993 to January 1, 2008, when it merged with Irkutsk Oblast Ust-Orda Buryat Okrug , or Ust-Orda Buryatia, is an administrative division of Irkutsk...
(abolished 1 January 2008) and the Transbaikal Oblast (23 September 2010).
On 31 March 2009, Kobzon was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Moscow - "for his services and contribution to the organization and development of national culture, long-term activities designed to meet the challenges of the patriotic and cultural education of the Russian people, as well as charitable activity in the city of Moscow and other Russian regions".
Awards
- USSR State PrizeUSSR State PrizeThe USSR State Prize was the Soviet Union's state honour. It was established on September 9, 1966. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the prize was followed up by the State Prize of the Russian Federation....
(1984) - for concert programs 1980-1983 - Lenin Komsomol PrizeLenin Komsomol PrizeLenin Komsomol Prize was a Soviet annual award for the best works in science, engineering, literature or art carried out by young authors of age not exceeding 33 years...
(1976) - for concert programs 1974-1975, active propaganda Soviet Komsomol songs - Russian Federal Security Service Award "for creative contribution to the patriotic education of Russian citizens" (2009)
Other honours
- Sculpture in DonetskDonetskDonetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
by Alexander Joseph Kobzon Rukavishnikova (30 August 2003) - Diploma of the Government of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic (2008)
'Russia's Frank Sinatra'
Considering Kobzon's career, personality, spirit and singing style, many say that he is Russia's answer to the U.S. crooner Frank SinatraFrank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
. The parallels between the two legends of the entertainment world are so uncanny, that Kobzon has been branded the nickname of 'Russia's Frank Sinatra'.
Besides their overwhelmingly successful singing careers, both Sinatra and Kobzon used their popularity towards an active involvement in politics. As a result, to counter their influence in the political arena, they both fell victim to smear campaigns about their respective involvement with the mafia.
Kobzon was already a legendary personality in the music world when the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
collapsed. Soon after, the country's political and social affairs fell under the influence of criminal activity with the rise of organised crime groups (later known as the 'Russian mafia'). Kobzon never denied knowing some alleged mafia members, stating that he was an entertainer for the people irrespective of their politics, nationality, religion or profession.
Frank Sinatra also had mafia acquaintances such as mobster Sam Giancana
Sam Giancana
Salvatore Giancana , better known as Sam Giancana, was a Sicilian-American mobster and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1957-1966...
.
Kobzon explains that for both Sinatra and himself such acquaintances were an unavoidable symptom of being a popular entertainer at a time when organized crime was a prevalent force in their respective countries.
In 1995, Kobzon was denied entry to the United States due to the mafia connection allegations. Challenging the visa denial was impossible since U.S. consular decisions are not subject to judicial review.
However, no formal accusations, investigation results, or evidence in support of the visa denial were published by the American authorities, nor has such information been released to Kobzon himself.
Due to a lack of available facts on the matter, rumours began to emerge about Kobzon's possible involvement in mafia-style activities, including arms-trafficking, gambling, pharmaceuticals, nightclubs, casinos and other shady acitivities. Similar rumours existed about Sinatra's interests in the mafia world.
The parallels between Kobzon and Sinatra quickly captured the imagination of audiences, and soon became the focus of media articles, books and novels claiming to have detailed knowledge of Russia's gangster world based on inside information obtained from the CIA.
Kobzon has since successfully sued numerous publications for propagating unsubstantiated rumours, presenting a multitude of personal and professional references from the likes of Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
and Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
, who have attested to his impeccable reputation and great honour.
Kobzon explains that books and newspaper articles written about his association with the Russian mafia are almost invariably authored by unknown individuals who have taken the opportunity of using his name in attempt to make a name for themselves.
In defending his reputation, Kobzon also attempted suing the U.S. government arguing that by denying visa applicants recourse to judicial protection, the powers of U.S. consular services contradict the Separation of Powers
Separation of powers
The separation of powers, often imprecisely used interchangeably with the trias politica principle, is a model for the governance of a state. The model was first developed in ancient Greece and came into widespread use by the Roman Republic as part of the unmodified Constitution of the Roman Republic...
principles of government, and are, therefore, open to abuse by individual government organs. Kobzon submitted that the visa denial stemmed from allegations contained in a fabricated information file supplied to the Americans by Yeltsin's henchmen, who 'used' the Americans in an engineered attempt at Kobzon's character-assassination. This was a protective measure employed against Kobzon by political powers at the time who were threatened by both his enormous popularity and independent political alignment. See "Kobzon’s US visa denial – Character-Assassination Without Recourse to Justice".http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/dgewgwwgwd&date=2009-10-25+19:28:37
Kobzon has enjoyed the freedom of travel to most other countries around the world, and claims that his life-long achievements are evidence of his true nature. He considers the US visa decision, as an act of reckless politics that is now outdated and irrelevant.