ASIK VEYSEL (1894-1973):


Asik Veysel Satiroglu, known as Asiık Veysel, born in the Sivrialan village of Sarkisla, Sivas, is one of the most prominent and respected representatives of the “Asik” tradition of the Turkish folk arts in the 20th Century as a poet, a songwriter, and a bağlama/saz virtuoso. 

Asik Veysel lost the sight of his left eye at the age of seven because of smallpox, and his left eye shortly after because of an accident. Spending most of his life as a blind man, his life was also full of sad incidents which was reflected in his poetry and his music. When he was still a child his father gave him a saz and recited many folk poets to him. His first teacher was Camisihli Ali Aga (Asik Ala), a friend of his father, who taught him Pir Sultan Abdal, Karacaoglan, Dertli, Rühsati and others. 

His life came to a turning point when he met Ahmet Kutsi Tecer in 1931, a literature teacher in Sivas High School and founder of the Association for Preservation of Folk Poets. In the same year, Asik Veysel participated in the Festival of Folk Poets organized by Tecer in Sivas where his talent started to be discovered by all. Upon the establishment of Village Institutes he worked as a saz teacher in the Village Institutes of Arifiye, Hasanoglan, Cifteler, Kastamonu, Yildizeli and Akpinar. In these schools, many intellectuals who later scorned Turkey's culture were able to meet the artist and improve their poetic sensibilities. Asik Veysel died in 1973 in Sivrialan village where he was born, in a house which is preserved as a museum.

RUHİ SU (1912 – 1985):


Ruhi Su was originally an opera singer, a bass-baritone, still remembered by his performances at the State Opera in “Figaro’s Wedding”, “Bartered Bride”, “Fidelio”, and “Madam Butterfly”. He started to sing and was influenced by folk songs, especially Karacaoğlan, when he was still a child. He devoted most of his life to collecting, arranging and singing many examples of Turkish folk music which were in danger of being lost. He followed the footsteps of famous composer Bella Bartok, who also undertook to preserve singing traditions in Hungary, in the Balkans, and in Turkey. 


Ruhi Su combined his efforts of preserving the rich Anatolian culture with his music based on the works of Anatolian poets such as Yunus Emre, Pir Sultan Abdal, Köroğlu, Karacaoğlan, and Dadaloğlu.