Aşık Veysel

Turkish poet, singer, songwriter and baglama-player, born October 25, 1894 in Sivrialan / Şarkışla, Ottoman Empire; died March 21, 1973 in Sivrialan / Şarkışla, Turkey. He became blind due to smallpox infection at the age of 7. Started to play baglama at the age of 10. In 1933, he met Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on one of his performances. The latter gave him possibility to travel and perform through the whole country and gave him also the possibility to work as a musical teacher. In recognition of his contributions to language and national unit, in 1965, he was granted a monthly pension by the Turkish government. Âşık Veysel is his real name, the last name 'Şatıroğlu' was a consequence of the Turkish "Surname Law" in 1935.