Alpay

Alpay — Biography

Born Ahmet Alpay Nazikioğlu on 17 July 1935 in Ankara, Alpay grew up as the son of a state railway official and a party secretary. After primary and secondary school in Ankara he attended Ankara Atatürk High School, where an interest in football led him to play for Ankara Demirspor and then professionally for Gençlerbirliği, earning a call-up to the youth national team. He completed a law degree at Ankara University before turning to music in the 1960s, experimenting with styles from romantic folk to rock. He formed his own group in 1964 and also worked with the ensemble Üç Hürel, adapting numerous French chansons and Italian Neapolitan songs into Turkish. During this period he set some of Attila İlhan's poems to music and formed a close friendship with lyricist Fecri Ebcioğlu. Over a career spanning roughly 25 albums, he became best known for hits including Kara Tren, Eylül'de Gel and Fabrika Kızı. Following the 2013 Gezi Park protests, he wrote a song, Ethem'in Sessiz Çığlığı, dedicated to Ethem Sarısülük, who was killed during the unrest. Alpay is regarded as one of the veteran figures of Turkish pop and easy-listening music.