Mariya Pakhomenko

Maria Leonidovna Pakhomenko (Russian: Мари́я Леони́довна Пахо́менко; 25 March 1937 – 8 March 2013) was a Soviet and Russian singer, a holder of the title of People's Artist of Russia since 1999.The song that brought her fame was Kachaet, kachaet... (Russian: Качает, качает...) that she recorded for the theater play Idu na Grozu (Russian: Иду на грозу) in 1963. In the 1960-1980s, Maria Pakhomenko was one of the major stars of the Soviet stage. The songs in her performance sounded in the programs of many radio stations and on television. She toured the USSR and abroad for many years (she sang in France, Italy, Cuba, Yugoslavia, Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Finland). Several music films were shot about her, one of which was acquired by 13 countries.

Among the songs by leading Soviet composers of which she was the original performer are Love Will Stay (by Valery Gavrilin), Nenaglyadnyy Moy (by Aleksandra Pakhmutova), Mens (by Eduard Kolmanovsky), Conversations (by Eduard Khanok), Vals pri Svechakh (by Oscar Feltsman), etc.