Kemal Monteno facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kemal Monteno
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Monteno pictured in 2011 in Klagenfurt, Austria
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| Born | 17 September 1948 |
| Died | 21 January 2015 (aged 66) |
| Resting place | Bare Cemetery, Sarajevo |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Spouse(s) |
Branka Monteno
(m. 1971) |
| Children | 2 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Folk, pop, sevdalinka |
| Instruments | vocals, guitar |
| Labels | Jugoton, Diskoton, Croatia Records, Nimfa Sound |
Kemal Monteno (born September 17, 1948 – died January 21, 2015) was a famous Bosnian singer and songwriter. He had a long and successful music career that lasted from the 1960s all the way to the 2010s.
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Early Life and Family
Kemal Monteno's father, Osvaldo, was from Italy. He came to Yugoslavia during World War II. There, he met Kemal's mother, Bahrija, in Sarajevo. They fell in love and later had Kemal.
Kemal's father spoke Italian and sang traditional Italian songs to him. His mother sang Bosnian folk songs called sevdalinkas. This mix of cultures and music styles influenced Kemal from a young age. Both of his parents worked at Sarajevo's Koševo City Stadium.
Music Career Highlights
Kemal Monteno started his music journey in 1967. His first song was called "Lidija." He quickly became very popular across Yugoslavia.
One of his most famous songs is "Sarajevo ljubavi moja" (Sarajevo, My Love). It's a beautiful tribute to his hometown. Many other artists also performed his songs, making them even more well-known. For example, "Bacila je sve niz rijeku" was a big hit for him and for bands like Crvena Jabuka. He also sang "Nekako s proljeća" as a duet with Crvena Jabuka in 1991.
Because of his unique singing style, Kemal Monteno was sometimes called the "Bosnian Roy Orbison" or even the "Bosnian Neil Diamond." This shows how much people admired his music.
Personal Life
Kemal Monteno met his wife, Branka, in Sarajevo in 1967. They got married in 1971. They had two children, a daughter named Adrijana and a son named Đani.
During the Bosnian War in the 1990s, Kemal Monteno stayed in his beloved city of Sarajevo. The city was under siege, but he remained there with his family.
Later Years and Passing
In his later life, Kemal Monteno faced some health challenges. He had diabetes since the late 1990s. He also had heart problems and underwent surgery in 2012.
After a long wait, he received a kidney transplant in November 2014. Sadly, his health continued to decline. Kemal Monteno passed away on January 21, 2015, in Zagreb, Croatia. He was buried in his hometown of Sarajevo at the Bare Cemetery a week later. His music and legacy continue to be loved by many.
Compilation Albums
- Volim te živote kakav jesi (1978)
- The Platinum Collection (2007)
- The Best Of... // Live (2012)
- 50 originalnih pjesama (2014)
See also
In Spanish: Kemal Monteno para niños
