Zdenko Runjic
Encyclopedia
Zdenko Runjić was Croatian songwriter based in Split
.
In his long career, he established himself as the most prolific and most popular songwriter of the former Yugoslavia, now Croatia. Many of his songs were inspired by the folk traditions of Dalmatia
. The songs became classics and Runjić helped the careers of many notable Croatian musicians such as Oliver Dragojević
and Doris Dragović
. He was especially successful at the prestigious Split Music Festival.
He wrote almost 700 songs which sold several million copies in the form of albums and singles. More than 200 songs were written for Oliver Dragojević
alone.
He was also a successful businessman and music producer. He owned a record company called Skalinada which became one of the most prominent record companies of Croatia.
However, his success also brought him many enemies and in 1993, following the dispute with the Split Music Festival organisers, he founded the rival music festival called Melodije Hrvatskog Jadrana (Melodies of the Croatian Adriatic) and it soon became the key music festival of the country.
On 27 October 2004, Runjić died of a stroke whilst recovering from the aftermath of a heart attack.
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
.
In his long career, he established himself as the most prolific and most popular songwriter of the former Yugoslavia, now Croatia. Many of his songs were inspired by the folk traditions of Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
. The songs became classics and Runjić helped the careers of many notable Croatian musicians such as Oliver Dragojević
Oliver Dragojevic
Oliver Dragojević is one of the most popular Croatian pop singers. A native of Vela Luka from the island of Korčula, he emerged onto the music scene in the 1970s thanks to the popular Split Festival, one of several musical annual events which began in the former Yugoslavia and still is being held...
and Doris Dragović
Doris Dragovic
Dorotea "Doris" Dragović is a Croatian singer-songwriter. She represented Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1986 with the song "Željo moja", finishing the 11th with 49 points, and Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 with the song "Marija Magdalena", finishing fourth with 118...
. He was especially successful at the prestigious Split Music Festival.
He wrote almost 700 songs which sold several million copies in the form of albums and singles. More than 200 songs were written for Oliver Dragojević
Oliver Dragojevic
Oliver Dragojević is one of the most popular Croatian pop singers. A native of Vela Luka from the island of Korčula, he emerged onto the music scene in the 1970s thanks to the popular Split Festival, one of several musical annual events which began in the former Yugoslavia and still is being held...
alone.
He was also a successful businessman and music producer. He owned a record company called Skalinada which became one of the most prominent record companies of Croatia.
However, his success also brought him many enemies and in 1993, following the dispute with the Split Music Festival organisers, he founded the rival music festival called Melodije Hrvatskog Jadrana (Melodies of the Croatian Adriatic) and it soon became the key music festival of the country.
On 27 October 2004, Runjić died of a stroke whilst recovering from the aftermath of a heart attack.