Secrets of Lyudmila Zykina. All the men of Zykina People's Artist of the USSR Lyudmila Zykina

Despite the image of a kind of “original Russian woman” from the outback of Russia, Lyudmila Georgievna Zykina is a native Muscovite. The Zykins were a family of workers.

My father worked as a turner at a Moscow factory, my mother worked as a nurse in a hospital for military personnel. Georgy Petrovich always dreamed of becoming a pilot, but this dream was not destined to come true. His daughter also had a craving for heights. Only Lyudmila Zykina was able to fulfill this dream and passion in her own way.

First love

Lyudmila Georgievna took her first steps on the path to future national fame at the age of 18 at the All-Russian competition of young talents. The girl’s beautiful, strong voice was immediately appreciated by the selection committee, and then by the audience. Music and Russian song became the great singer’s first love. And 4 years later she met her first husband, Vladlen Pozdnov. It’s amazing how this simple man, far from music - he worked as an engineer at an automobile plant - was able to bring Lyudmila Georgievna back to life.

Shortly before meeting Pozdnov, Zykina’s mother died. The tragedy had the most detrimental effect on the singer: she lost her voice. The woman’s career and entire future fate were in great doubt. It was then that Lyudmila Georgievna met her future husband. The feeling of falling in love again awakened her thirst for life. The voice returned, and from that moment Zykina became very popular. Alas, the couple separated after 3 years. Lyudmila Georgievna could not forgive the man’s infidelity and filed for divorce.

Second marriage

Like any all-Union star, Zykina often met with the press. Any interview could bring the singer a new romance, because there are always many interesting men among the correspondents. But Lyudmila Georgievna met her second husband, a photojournalist for “Soviet Warrior,” easily, on a trolleybus. Evgeny Svalov was able to light a fire in the broad soul of the Russian folk singer, but he himself could not be faithful to this love for a long time. And again, because of infidelity, the marriage broke up.

Third marriage and conflict of interest

Before going to the registry office for the third time, Zykina tested her potential husband for a long time. Professional translator Vladimir Kotelkin taught Zykin English for some time. The always busy artist found her studies difficult; There was a catastrophic lack of time for diligent cramming. But the relationship with the teacher very soon went beyond the professional. Having carefully weighed all the pros and cons, Zykina got married for the third time 3 years after meeting Kotelkin.

Such long deliberation also did not give good results, because the spouses did not reach mutual understanding on the most important issue. Vladimir Petrovich wanted to see his wife at home, with her family, surrounded by children. For Zykina, such a life was impossible. The people's favorite was always on the road and very rarely at home. Their marriage soon broke up. Zykina never gave birth to children, believing that due to her lifestyle she would not be able to provide the warmth and participation that raising a happy person requires.

Big love

The fourth husband, Viktor Gridin, turned out to be from the same environment as the singer herself. He was an accordion player and, like no one else, could understand the soul of the singer. Zykina invited Gridin to her newly created ensemble “Russia”. The musician gladly accepted this invitation and made every effort to make the project happen. Then more intimate feelings arose between them. Gridin left the family for the sake of Zykina.

Zykina did not sign with her lover this time, believing that the signature on the document would not help save the relationship if it was destined to fade away. They lived together for 17 years, despite the fact that Gridin was 14 years younger than his common-law wife. At some point, Lyudmila Georgievna felt that her husband had a new love, and simply let him go. A member of Zykina’s ensemble, Nadezhda Krygina, became her ex-husband’s new lover.

Performer of Russian folk songs Lyudmila Zykina is a star, without whom it is simply impossible to imagine the Soviet stage. She was loved and revered in many countries around the world.

“The Giantess with a Kind Heart,” as she was affectionately called in Japan, was an amazingly talented and kind woman. During her long creative career, the singer made an invaluable contribution to the development of Russian musical art.

Lyudmila Georgievna Zykina was born in 1929, into a simple family. My parents worked a lot: my mother worked as a nurse, my father was a worker. As a result, the girl was left to her own devices. But “raised on the street,” she was able to remain a kind, attentive person. From childhood, Zykina’s mother taught her to work, and the girl happily tried to help, doing almost any housework.

Music, and especially singing, have been close to Lyudmila Zykina since childhood. Her grandmother and mother had beautiful voices, and her father played several musical instruments. Therefore, it is not surprising that Luda began singing at an early age. But although she liked it, Lyudmila did not plan to connect her fate with the stage. She wanted to be a pilot.

The war interrupted a happy childhood. At the age of 12, Lyudmila, trying to help her parents, got a job at a factory. Thanks to perseverance and innate ingenuity, working alongside adults, she quickly became a top-class turner.

Carier start

In the first post-war years, Zykina studied at a school for working youth, worked as a nurse and a seamstress. And then I accidentally found out about the All-Russian competition for young singers. And she decided to try her hand. The competition was not held by chance: the Pyatnitsky folk choir needed performers. Everything was very serious: more than one and a half thousand people applied for one place.

But by the will of fate, one of the vacant places went to Lyudmila Zykina. She, an eighteen-year-old girl with no special education, amazed the strict commission with her incredible talent. So Lyudmila became the soloist of the largest Russian choir. Her career was just beginning, and in many ways the choir became for her a school in which she learned to sing.

The biography of Lyudmila Zykina is full of sad moments that can break a person. One of the biggest tragedies in the singer’s life was the sudden, sudden death of her mother in 1949. This was a real shock for the girl, from which she could not recover for a long time. For more than a year, she simply lost her voice and could not even speak normally. Of course, I had to forget about working in the choir.

But I had to move on with my life. Forgetting about singing, the girl got a job in a printing house. Gradually her voice returned, and Lyudmila began to think about returning to the stage. She begins to work in the Russian song choir of the All-Union Radio. It was then that Zykina first began to tour abroad. The singer remembered her first trip abroad, to India, for the rest of her life.

National recognition

In 1960, Lyudmila Georgievna became an artist of the Mosconcert, and it was this time that is called the beginning of her solo career. These were her best years. Zykina becomes a laureate of a huge number of creative competitions, actively tours not only throughout Russia, but also far beyond its borders. Her concerts took place in more than 90 countries. The singer even performed at the North Pole for polar explorers.

Zykina's song repertoire numbered more than two thousand works. Her records sold in huge quantities, their total number exceeding 6 million copies. Lyudmila Georgievna becomes a real favorite of the public - a true Russian beauty, tall and stately, with a magical voice.

Much later, in 1969, the performer went to study - despite her experience and fame, she wanted to get a special education. Lyudmila Zykina graduated from the music school, and then from the State Music-Pedagogical Institute named after. Gnesins.

Everyone is accustomed to perceiving Lyudmila Zykina exclusively as a singer. Meanwhile, her talent was unique and multifaceted. Zykina starred in several documentaries and more than 20 concert films. She is also the author of several books:

  • "Song".
  • "At the crossroads of meetings."
  • “My Volga is flowing.”
  • "I love you".

Teaching activities and awards

Despite her constant employment, Lyudmila Georgievna found time for teaching work. Since 1989, she was an assistant professor at the Moscow State Institute of Culture, then at the Russian Academy of Music. Gnesins. She has repeatedly been a member of the jury of many song competitions held in different countries.

Lyudmila Zykina is a laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes, the owner of a huge number of titles and awards (Wikipedia offers a complete list). It is noteworthy that she was first awarded the title of People's Artist in Azerbaijan in 1972. And only a year later she became People's Artist of the USSR.

Family

The personal life of Lyudmila Zykina was quite eventful. The Soviet and Russian singer has always attracted the attention of men - and always enjoyed it. But, nevertheless, in her interviews, Zykina repeatedly admitted that she really did not sincerely love any of her four husbands.

The singer got married for the first time quite early - at 22 years old. Her husband was engineer Vladlen Pozdnov. It was his betrayal that was prophesied to the performer by an old fortune teller in India. And he turned out to be right: the husband actually cheated. She could not forgive this - and the marriage broke up. This time was extremely difficult, and not only because of the breakup.

Zykina was pregnant, but, unfortunately, the pregnancy turned out to be ectopic. The urgent operation had a negative impact - the singer could no longer have children. Zykina greatly regretted this. But at the same time she said that a child is a big responsibility. He needs care and patience, and in her busy touring schedule there was no free time that could be devoted to raising children.

Zykina’s second husband was photojournalist Evgeny Svalov. The relationship developed rapidly, and soon they became husband and wife. But this marriage did not bring happiness either - the reason for the divorce was again the husband’s infidelity.

It would seem that a third marriage could change everything. Translator Vladimir Kotelkin looked after the singer for a long time, about three years. He literally adored his star wife and made every effort to make her happy. He taught her English and helped her write a book. There was just one significant “but”. The man wanted a real family - a wife who was waiting for him at home, and children. And Zykina was constantly at concerts and toured a lot. She couldn't just give up everything and sit at home. After 10 years they broke up.

Zykina's fourth marriage became the longest. Accordionist Viktor Gridin was significantly, 14 years younger than Lyudmila Georgievna, but this did not interfere with the relationship at all. They came from the same environment - both were madly in love with music. But even this closeness could not save the relationship - after 17 years of marriage, Gridin took on a young mistress. And Zykina could not forgive this.

Zykina is also credited with numerous novels. So, her patron for a long time was Lieutenant General Nikolai Mikhailovich Filippenko. It was he who gave Zykina the diamonds that the singer loved so much. For a long time, she was credited with having a relationship with Alexei Kosygin, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

Already at an advanced age, Lyudmila Georgievna confirmed rumors about her relationship with Mikhail Kizin. The age difference was huge - 40 years, and many said that Kizin was simply using the singer. In addition, she also had a relationship with psychotherapist Viktor Konstantinov.

Last days

In June 2009, a gala reception was held in the Kremlin in honor of the 80th anniversary of the great Russian singer. Here Lyudmila Georgievna was congratulated by everyone: the first lady of the country, ministers, politicians, famous cultural figures. And after some time she felt bad.

Lyudmila Zykina’s sister said that for many years the singer suffered from diabetes, and several other serious diseases developed against it. On June 25, Zykina was taken to the hospital in serious condition. Here, in intensive care, she suffered a heart attack. And on July 1, the great singer passed away. The cause of death was acute cardio-renal failure. Author: Lyudmila Zykina

Lyudmila Georgievna Zykina (1929 – 2009) is a famous Russian performer. She became famous thanks to her inimitable performance of folk songs and romances. Has many awards and titles.

Childhood

The biography of Lyudmila Zykina began in Moscow, where the future star was born in 1929. Her family was the most ordinary: her father was a worker, her mother was a nurse. However, the income always exceeded the average, so Lyudmila’s childhood can be called easy and carefree. The girl went to school, ran around the streets with friends, and read books.

Everything changed with the advent of World War II. A twelve-year-old girl who was supposed to play with dolls turned out to be a turner at a factory. However, she did not complain. In those years, everyone tried to make a contribution to the future victory. But childhood is over.

Youth

After the war, Lyudmila completed courses for nurses and began working in a military clinical hospital. Then the girl learned to sew and worked part-time as a seamstress.

Victory parades were still thundering across the country, so all the youth were crazy about the war heroes. Accordingly, they then dreamed of being like them.

Lyudmila Zykina wanted to become a pilot, her father supported her in this. The wish could well have come true, but one day the girl took a different path.

In 1947, Lyudmila took part in a song competition. She sang before, she was praised, but she never thought that she could achieve anything in this field. However, the girl did not go to try her hand at some small event, but straight to the All-Russian competition. The prize was to be a vacant place in the Pyatnitsky choir. Naturally, several thousand talented performers applied for it. But it went to the unknown eighteen-year-old Zykina.

Since Lyudmila had not previously studied singing, the choir became for her not only a place of work, but also a school. She turned out to be a talented student and quickly learned all the intricacies of the new craft. However, the future star still could not perceive music as a lifelong pursuit. She had no idea that art could support her and her family. And so, unexpectedly for everyone, in 1949, the promising girl left the choir and began working in a printing house.

Career

Soon Lyudmila realized that without music her life had become gray and uninteresting. She was again very lucky: she managed to get into the Russian song choir of the All-Union Radio. After some time, she realized that she was ready to perform solo. Now her songs were accompanied by an orchestra.

Lyudmila Zykina gave concerts throughout the Soviet Union. Among the fans of her talent were the most famous artists and politicians of that time. However, the artist did not feel like a full-fledged performer. She lacked adequate education. Therefore, in 1969 she graduated from the music school, and then from the institute.

In 1972, Lyudmila Zykina received her first title of People's Artist. This happened in Azerbaijan. Then the rewards rained down like from a cornucopia.

The singer's career has always developed steadily. She did not know recessions and oblivion. Despite the fact that folk music does not have such a huge number of fans as pop culture, Zykina has never suffered from a lack of fans. Not a single one of her concerts was sold out. The best composers and musicians of our time dreamed of working with the singer.

Personal life

The personal life of Lyudmila Zykina was quite eventful. It is enough to note that she changed four husbands. This is not strange, given her fame and attractiveness. It is surprising that none of the artist’s husbands, except the last one, had anything to do with the musical world.

Zykina’s first chosen one was an ordinary engineer. Then he was replaced by a photojournalist. The third husband taught foreign languages.

The singer's last husband was accordion player Viktor Gridin. Their marriage lasted for 17 years. However, it ended in scandal. Gridin left his famous wife for another woman.

Lyudmila Zykina never married again.

Death

In June 2009, Lyudmila Zykina magnificently celebrated her eightieth birthday. The most famous people of the country gathered for the celebration. The singer looked, as always, gorgeous.

It was difficult to tell that she had been seriously ill for several years. However, the holiday was the last in her life.

On July 1, 2009, Lyudmila Zykina died. The singer, beloved by millions, was buried at the Navodevichy cemetery.

Lyudmila Zykina was and remains a true legend of the Soviet stage. Her voice was called the best in the USSR, and her songs were called the national treasure of a large country. Having lived a long and colorful life, Lyudmila Georgievna managed to do a surprising amount in her lifetime. She sang at the best concert venues in the country; collaborated with the best composers and orchestras of the Soviet Union. She was applauded by ordinary people and high-ranking officials, chairmen of the Communist Party and foreign guests of the USSR. But can we say that her fate was bright and carefree? Of course not. And anyone who is at least a little familiar with the singer’s biography can be convinced of this.

LYUDMILA ZYKINA THE VOLGA RIVER FLOWS

Early years, childhood and family of Lyudmila Zykina

The future People's Artist of the USSR was born into an ordinary Moscow family during that difficult period when one historical era was replaced by another. Her childhood was very ordinary: school, lessons, games with friends in Moscow courtyards. Lyudmila Zykina's family was quite wealthy, and therefore the early years of the great singer's life can be called happy with full confidence.

The Second World War changed everything. During these difficult years, twelve-year-old Lyuda helped her elders, performing the duties of a turner at the Moscow Ordzhonikidze Machine Tool Plant. For her contribution to the common cause, the future singer received the title “Honored Ordzhonikidzovets,” which she later was very proud of. After the end of hostilities, Zykina went to work at a military clinical hospital and began working as a nurse and then as a seamstress. At the same time, as the artist herself admitted, her cherished childhood dream was to become a pilot.

Creative career and first steps of Lyudmila Zykina on stage

The young girl's singing career began almost by accident. Deciding to try her hand at the big stage, Lyudmila Zykina became a participant in the All-Russian Competition of Young Performers, which was held in Moscow in 1947. Several thousand people applied for places in the M. Pyatnitsky Folk Choir. The competition reached one and a half thousand people per place. It was difficult to count on success, but the singer’s unforgettable voice and sparkling talent did their job, eighteen-year-old Luda became the soloist of the famous ensemble.

It was here that Zykina learned all the intricacies of the singing craft. The Pyatnitsky Choir became an excellent school for her, but in 1949 she left its ranks and began working at the First Model Printing House in Moscow. Perhaps at that moment doubts arose in the singer’s heart about her future fate. However, the passion for music outweighed all doubts.

In 1951, Zykina began performing with the Russian song choir of the All-Union Radio, and already in 1960, having become an artist of the Mosconcert, she began singing solo.

Lyudmila Zykina - Why did you call me?

It is worth noting that the sixties were marked by a real rise in her career. The geography of the singer’s touring activities stretches from Siberia to Kamchatka, from the Urals to the Far East. During this period, the singer became a laureate of several singing competitions. Her voice was admired by famous artists, politicians and representatives of the highest military leadership of the USSR. The main theme of her work was

The culture of Russia, and this was very relevant in her time

The singer traveled to all the Union republics with concert performances. Her work was especially loved in Azerbaijan. How strange it is, it was in the Land of Fire that Lyudmila Georgievna first received the title of People's Artist.

This significant event happened in 1972. And from that moment on, Zykina’s personal collection of awards and titles began to grow with amazing regularity. In 1973, the singer was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR. In the seventies and eighties, she became a laureate of the Lenin Prize, the owner of the Order of Lenin, the State Prize of the RSFSR named after M. I. Glinka, as well as many other awards. The complete list of awards that have taken their rightful place in the singer’s personal collection is completely impossible to calculate. Therefore, today we will leave Zykina’s numerous regalia outside the brackets.

In 1977, already a well-known and popular performer, Lyudmila Zykina became the leader and soloist of the Russian folk ensemble “Russia”. It is with this group that the singer’s later work is connected. She was loved and respected - audiences always eagerly came to her concerts, and famous composers considered it an honor to work with her. Thus, songs by Mark Fradkin, Alexander Averkin, Grigory Ponomarenko, Viktor Temnov and many other talented authors appeared in Zykina’s repertoire.

Personal life of Lyudmila Zykina

Lyudmila Zykina was married four times in her life, but relatively little is known about her husbands. The artist’s first chosen one was engineer Vladlen Pozdnov, the second was photojournalist for the popular magazine “Soviet Warrior” in those years, Evgeny Svalov. The third husband of Lyudmila Georgievna was Vladimir Kotyolkin, a Soviet translator and teacher of foreign languages.


In fact, only the singer’s fourth husband, virtuoso accordion player Viktor Gridin, was a famous and remarkable person. Since 1975, he headed the ensemble “Russia”, which accompanied Lyudmila Zykina. This is how the meeting of two people took place. The lovers lived in marriage for 17 long years, but in the mid-nineties, Victor left Lyudmila for Nadezhda Krygina, another folk singer.

Death of Lyudmila Zykina

In the last years of her life, Zykina was seriously ill. She was worried about diabetes. In 2007, the artist underwent a serious operation, as a result of which her hip joint was removed. However, this did not stop her from living her usual life. On June 10, 2009, she celebrated her eightieth birthday in grand style. Among the guests were many famous Russian political and artistic figures. This day became the last holiday in the artist’s life.


Three weeks later, Lyudmila Georgievna had a heart attack. On July 1, 2009, the singer died of cardiac arrest. Farewell to the People's Artist of the USSR took place on July 3 at the Moscow Concert Hall. P.I. Tchaikovsky. The grave of Lyudmila Zykina is located at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

When Lyudmila Zykina first went abroad (it was exotic India), she met an old man there who predicted the future. That Hindu told her about future glory and about failures on the personal front. She, of course, did not believe a single word. And only years later I realized that the old man was right about everything.

Her creative career began when the young singer, who had just enrolled in the Pyatnitsky choir, suddenly fell silent. Lyuda Zykina, who was predicted to have a brilliant future, had her mother die. The shock was so strong that the girl lost her voice due to nervousness. I couldn’t even speak, let alone sing...

But Lyudmila wasn’t even particularly worried about this - the problem seemed so small to her then. Along with her mother’s funeral, she also buried her dreams of becoming a singer. Zykina left the choir and got a job at the First Model Printing House, where she sewed brochures without complaining about her lot.

And then Lyudmila’s first love came. And along with her, her voice returned: strong, sonorous, as if she had been engaged in vocal exercises all this time.

“I COULDN’T FORGIVE BETRAYAL”

Her first chosen one's name was Vladlen Pozdnov, he worked as an engineer at ZiS. Having acquired the status of a married lady, Lyudmila also changed her place of work. After auditioning, she was accepted into the Russian Song Choir of the All-Union Radio, and she finally found herself in her element. After all, music and singing were what really interested her. In addition, the famous team periodically went on tour abroad, and she, a young girl, suddenly had the opportunity to see the world.

During her first trip abroad, a mystical incident happened to her. There she met an ancient, ancient old man who, for a small fee, told fortunes to everyone. So, he told her something incomprehensible: “When you return home, you will break up with the man you love, because he is having an affair with another woman. And in general, you will have big problems with your personal life. But you will be known throughout the world - I clearly see a star in your forehead.”

Of course, Lyudmila did not take these words seriously. Well, some kind of children's fairy tales - a star in the forehead, world fame. And she was as confident in her beloved as she was in herself. Even when she returned to Moscow and her kind neighbors immediately shared the news: they say, some girl was constantly coming to see you, she continued to believe her husband. After all, when asked directly: does he have a mistress, he assured her that it was all fiction.

And only when, after a while, her friend admitted that she had been living with her husband for six months, she immediately filed for divorce. “I couldn’t forgive the betrayal,” Lyudmila Georgievna later said. - She poured out her suffering after breaking up with her husband in her songs. One of them was about betrayal: “All three quarreled, all three separated...”

For the second time she married a photographer from the magazine “Soviet Warrior” Evgenia Svalova. He also seemed to her the standard of fidelity. At first. However, Evgeny, as it turned out pretty soon, had an affair on the side. Zykina did not hesitate to divorce this time either. “I’m not on the same path with traitors,” she said when asked about the reasons for breaking up with her first two spouses.

Her third husband was considered a high-flying bird. Vladimir Kotelkin was not just a teacher of foreign languages ​​(he spoke three fluently). But most importantly, he served as the personal translator of Patriarch Alexy I. He went on business trips with him and accompanied him to the wedding of King Constantine in Athens.

The singer lived with Vladimir Kotelkin for ten whole years. For her sake, he even sacrificed his career, turning at some point into her personal manager. And it was Kotelkin who made Zykina related to a prominent representative of the Russian theater scene - actress Alla Demidova.

LIKE IN “WINTER CHERRY”

The fact that Alla Demidova was the wife of Vladimir Kotelkin, Zykina’s ex-husband, is not mentioned in any official biography of the actress. However, Lyudmila Zykina herself informed the public about this fact shortly before her death. But she immediately corrected herself that this marriage did not last long.

Therefore, of course, it has long become an axiom for everyone in the acting world: where Alla Demidova is, there Vladimir Valutsky- a famous playwright, with whom she has been for more than 50 years. And only the couple’s close friends knew that for some time not everything was so simple in this family union. Because back in the 1970s, a third person appeared in their tandem. Or rather, the third, who did not consider herself superfluous at all.

About the history of this acquaintance with Vladimir Valutsky, actress Nadezhda Repina tells without hiding too much. Back in 1974, on the set of the film “Screen Star” in Yalta, where Nadezhda worked part-time as an extra, fate brought her together with the famous playwright. There their romance began, although both were not free. Valutsky was already married to Alla Demidova at that time. And Repin’s son and husband, director Andrei Razumovsky, were waiting at home.

The relationship between the actress and playwright - tragic, full of love and passion - lasted 14 long years. Later, Valutsky described their story in the script for the film “Winter Cherry.” True, Nadezhda Repina assures that in their life together everything was much harsher and more prosaic. Surprisingly, even after the film was released, the romance between Valutsky and Repina did not end - they continued to meet for about three more years. It is difficult to say whether the legal wife, Alla Demidova, knew about this connection. It is only known that when in one interview the actress was asked directly what she thought about the fact that her husband brought his personal experiences to public view, she answered vaguely: “Any scenario is not a 100% copy of someone’s life, very much invented, fantasized."

In any case, Alla Demidova, all so unearthly, behaved quite pragmatically in this situation, giving her husband the opportunity to make his own decision - to leave or stay.

In this regard, Lyudmila Zykina was still more straightforward, incapable of feminine tricks. If you love - don't change, if you change - leave.

And only when the singer was 50, she met a man for whom she forgot about all her principles.

“ZYKINA, I WANT A CHILD FROM YOU!”

Victor Gridin, a virtuoso accordion player, met Zykina during a social reception. They almost immediately began to live together. Victor was not embarrassed by the fact that his legal wife and two children were waiting for him at home, or even by the significant age difference - he was almost 15 years younger than Zykina. After some time, Gridin divorced and formalized his relationship with the singer.

They lived together for 17 stellar years. Their family tandem soon grew into a creative one. Together, Zykina and Gridin created the musical group “Russia”, with which they traveled to more than a hundred countries.

But then a third appeared in this union, which was able to destroy this marriage. Nadezhda Krygina I also sang folk songs. But she had one undeniable advantage - youth.

"What should I do? I loved it so much. She, of course, is beautiful and young,” Zykina threw up her hands, trying to pretend that she took the separation from her husband for granted. And only the singer’s close friends told how difficult she was going through this divorce, how she tried to keep her husband.

True, the new union did not last long. Gridin began to drink alcohol and burned out in a matter of years - he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver.

“If I blame her for something, it’s only that she couldn’t save Viktor Fedorovich,” Lyudmila Georgievna admitted in one interview. “For all 17 years I fought with his cronies and friends who brought him vodka. But as soon as he married Nadezhda, invitations immediately began to flow, either to a feast or to someone’s dacha. He passed away four years later...”

In addition to the official marriages, Lyudmila Zykina had many more novels. Both real and imagined. Since she was always favored by the powers that be, it was with them that popular rumor connected the singer. Thus, the leader of Yugoslavia was among her fans Josip Broz Tito, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union Alexey Kosygin and even the head of the DPRK Kim Jong Il. Moreover, gossip about her marriages with top officials of states circulated not only in the USSR. Once in friendly Bulgaria, after a concert, Lyudmila Zykina was urgently asked to say hello to Kosygin. “Well, when I see it, then I’ll tell you,” the singer replied. “Aren’t you his wife?” - the audience asked her in surprise.

Also, at one time, Zykina was “married off” to Joseph Kobzon. And all because of one phrase that Joseph Davydovich once said in front of honest people: “Zykina, I want a child from you!” Years later, when the singer celebrated her 75th birthday, Kobzon, remembering those old conversations, decided to “add fuel to the fire.” Entering the stage, he announced: “Zykina, I still want a child from you!” “Joseph, the train has already left,” sighed Lyudmila Georgievna. “The train may have left, but the whistle remains!” - Kobzon joked in response. Of course, talk about their romance was just talk...

But the real fact is, here it is, quite sad: Lyudmila Zykina, a star who was worshiped by thousands of music lovers around the world, died alone. Apparently, one of her songs turned out to be prophetic, where there are the following lines: “Alone again, but not my fault. I’m simply condemned to the stage”...