Yerkesh Shakeyev

Yerkesh Shakeyev is a Kazakh composer, lyricist and songwriter, started his way from bard songs and pop hits to neoclassicism. He was born on May 5, 1962 in the village of Ruzaevka, Kokchetav Oblast, into the family of Kokena Shakeev, the People's Akyn of Kazakhstan and the First President of the Akyns Union of Kazakhstan.
Winner of the 3rd place at the South Pacific International Song Contest in Australia in 1999 (3,000 participants from 40 countries), the holder of the special awards of the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters (BACS), at the same competition winner in the nomination of "the Best European Entry". The owner of Platinum "Tarlan Prize" over the years, the winner of the All-Union television festival "Song of the Year" (Moscow, Russia).
Yerkesh started his professional career in 1987 after winning the Republican contest of young talents called "Zhastar Dausy" (1st place and the audience award). After this victory, he was invited to work as a singer-songwritert to the ensemble of Aray directed by Taskyn Okapova.
Yerkesh's songs were released in dozens of albums by famous Kazakhstan and Russian artists, such as "A – Studio" (in three formulations), Batyrkhan Shukenov, Ani Lorak, Anita Tsoi, the duo "Myuzikola",duo of "duo L", group "Vostok (East)" 'Nagima Eskalieva, group " "Rakhat Lukum", Parviz Nazarov, Rahat Turlyhanov, Tolkyn Zabirova, Baurzhan Isayev, Dinara Sultan, "Group of 101", and many other stars of the post-soviet union area.
Personal life.
Yerkesh Shakeyev is married to Zhibek Dusanovna Shakeyeva, they have four children. In 2015 it was 25 anniversary of their marriage. On July 28, after being disappeared for two weeks, his son's Safar body was found in the Yesentay river, in Almaty. The reasons for his death are still being investigated.
Quotes.
 While singing Yerkesh Shakeyev's "Nelubimaya (Unloved)," Batyr, in gratitude to the audience, who were singing it along with musicians knelt and sentimentality pressed his hands to his face.