Orhan Gencebay

Orhan Gencebay — Biography

Orhan Gencebay (born Orhan Kencebay in 1944 in Samsun) is a Turkish composer, vocalist, lyricist, instrumentalist, arranger, and music producer of Crimean Tatar descent who also appeared in films. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of the musical style that spread through Turkey from the 1960s onward and is commonly labeled "arabesque," though he himself rejected that term, describing his output instead as "free Turkish music" or simply "Gencebay music." Known as a virtuoso of the bağlama, he has sold more than 65 million records over his career and combined singing with acting in films such as Şoför and Bir Teselli Ver. He was featured in Fatih Akın's 2005 documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. At the recommendation of the Ministry of Culture, he received Turkey's State Artist title in 1998.