Жанна Бичевская

Zhanna Vladimirovna Bichevskaya (English: Jeanne Bichevskaya; Russian: Жанна Владимировна Бичевская; born June 17, 1944) is a prominent Soviet and Russian singer and folk musician. She was born in Moscow and in 1971 she graduated from the Moscow Circus and Performing Arts School. She was a teacher of music in Zagorsk (Sergiev Posad). In the 1970s, Zhanna started to perform Russian folk songs and romances. At that time she was deeply influenced by Bulat Okudzhava, and she quickly gained popularity in Russia and abroad with some critics dubbing her the Russian Joan Baez. Her unique style of music is often described as Russian country-folk. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Zhanna Bichevskaya's songs began to have more political, nationalist and spiritual themes. She performed a series of White Guard officer's songs, as well as a series of patriotic and religious songs. The lyrics to the latter were composed by Father Roman, a priest of the Pskovo-Pechorsky Monastery. Her album "Hieromonk Romans's songs" was blessed by him in 1997.In 1999, Zhanna also became the host of her own show on Voice of Russia radio station. She was awarded People’s Artist of the RSFSR.