Neşet Ertaş

Neşet Ertaş (1938-2012) was a renowned Turkish folk musician, lyricist, and master of the traditional bağlama instrument. Born in Kırtıllar, Kırşehir, Ertaş began playing violin and bağlama at a young age, accompanying his father Muharrem Ertaş to wedding ceremonies. He gained popularity in Istanbul and Ankara, performing on radio and night clubs. In 1978, he moved to Germany due to financial difficulties and paralysis in his fingers, recovering and teaching saz playing at a German school. Despite being almost forgotten in Turkey, Ertaş returned in 2000 to find success with concerts and free performances. He rejected the title of "State Artist" but received several awards including the State Medal of Distinguished Service and UNESCO's National Living Human Treasure award. Ertaş interpreted music from the Abdal-Turkoman tradition, releasing over 30 albums during his career, including Benim Yurdum (1995), Vay Vay Dünya (2002), Yolcu (2003) and many more. He passed away in 2012 at the age of 74 after battling prostate cancer.