Clavdia Shulzhenko

Clavdia Shulzhenko was born in 1906 in Kharkiv. She fated to become one of many symbols of war time like Mark Bernes in singing or Olga Berggolts and Constantin Simonov in poetry. In 17 she became actress of local theatre, her first accompanist "Dunya" would become famous composer Isaac Dunaevsky.
Clavdia Ivanovna didn't have beautiful appearance: she had pretty face, turned-up nose, evident cheek-bones; but she always tried to keep herself good. In all circumstances she wore elegant dresses sewed by best moscow dressmaker. Once she was driving to regiment and the car was catched with bombarding fire - Clavdia covered her suitcase with costumes not to damage it.
She wasn't pretencois. She lived very modest, her food always was frugal. Shulzhenko went to market herself and often joked: "I sing for market".
She didn't like first text version of song "Blue scarf" so she insisted on rewriting as if she felt it would be main song in 1941-1945 years not counting "Stand up, enormous country!" and "Dark night".
Clavdia Shulzhenko - Blue Scarf.mp3, 629kb