Biography of Valery Leontiev and his family. Valery Yakovlevich Leontiev. Socio-political views of Valery Leontiev

Outrageous, unique style, sexually attractive appearance, beautiful and melodic voice - these qualities are so characteristic of Valery Leontiev. A bright and charming man, a talented singer is always in the spotlight. Of interest to fans is the artist's personal life, since almost nothing is known about her.

Biography

The biography of Valery Yakovlevich Leontiev originates in the 40s. The year of the singer's birth is 1949. The date of the birth of the future "voice of Russia" is March 19. The information where Leontiev is from indicates the Republic of Komi. More precisely the place where the singer was born - the village of Ust-Usa. Nationality Russian.

Valery Leontiev with his parents

Leontiev's mother is Ekaterina Ivanovna Klyuts. However, not everyone is sure of this. There are ambiguous speculations about the origin of the star in the media.

In 2005, the singer's fans learned that Valery Leontyev's sister, Maya, had died. It happened on January 6 in one of the Krasnodar psychiatric hospitals. She was 74 years old. For the first time, Maya was in a dispensary for the mentally ill 2 years ago. Then she confidently declared that she was the sister of Valery Leontiev himself.

The medical staff accepted this news with skepticism, because, by virtue of their profession, “Ivan the Terrible”, “Napoleons”, “mothers of Jesus Christ” appeared daily in the hospital. However, later the employees of the psychiatric clinic were convinced that the information that Maya told was true.

Enlightenment descended on the medical staff when Valery himself came to visit a relative. Then he brought his sister fruits and flowers. After a short stay in the ward, he left the hospital and never appeared there again.

As it turned out later, Maya is actually not Valery's sister, but her own mother. As a resident of the village of Ust-Usy said, the girl was pretty.

The family arrived in the village in 1948 from Sakhalin. Then the reindeer-breeding caretaker needed specialists, and Leontiev Yakov Ivanovich - the father of the singer was a livestock specialist. Together with him came his wife, the same Ekaterina Ivanovna Klyuts, her sister and daughter Maya.

The family was settled in beautiful house, in another part of which the director of the reindeer-breeding caretaker named Smirnykh lived. Perhaps 18-year-old Maya gave birth to him (although according to another version, the girl became pregnant from a gypsy). An adorable boy was born.

After giving birth, Maya got a job as a pioneer leader in a school, and gave her son Valera to her grandmother for care. She also recorded the child on herself in order to avoid shame, because the girl needed to get married and build a family. Leontiev called Maia sister, his own grandmother - mother, and Yakov Ivanovich - father and bore his patronymic.

With older sister Maya

After that, family life improved. Maya, Ekaterina Ivanovna and her sister made a living by sewing slippers, decorating curtains, and weaving napkins.

As the residents of Ust-Us recall, women were a little like rural women. Instead of popular boots, they wore boots. Women loved Valery, pampered, neatly and beautifully dressed.

The family rarely saw the head of the family. My father was always on the road. Women did all the housework, including men's.

Maya soon left the village and went to Vorkuta. There she studied and found a job. After that, the girl got married and changed her last name from Klyutz to Rudai.

The singer's childhood was unusual. Valery did not go to school until the age of 12, since it was 7 km from his home in Ust-Usy. The boy received the first basics from his mother and her sister. In 1961, Yakov Ivanovich was again transferred to work, but already in Yuryevets (Ivanovo). Here Valera goes to school and finishes it.

The boy's classes were not limited to studies only. He was seriously fond of drawing, dancing, singing. For the first time Valery's sonorous voice was heard by the school when he performed as part of the local choir. No one thought then that a new star would soon shine Soviet stage.

After graduating from school, he tries to enter the technical school of radio engineering. However, the attempt is unsuccessful. Leontiev returns to school again and finishes high school.

After that, Valery expresses a desire to enter the Far Eastern University at the Faculty of Oceanology. However, again the boy's hopes crumble, because the family did not have money for such a long trip.

Then the young man pays attention to music. He decides to enter the Moscow GITIS, but his fantasies of world fame are untenable, at the very last moment the young man changes his mind, takes the documents and returns home.

There he tries his hand at various professions: a builder, a worker brick factory, postman, tailor, electrician. But none of them causes Leontiev pleasure.

Then he enters the Mining Institute in Leningrad for evening department. But here, too, there is a failure. Leontiev does not like studying, he leaves the university in the 3rd year. Simultaneously with his studies, Valery works as a draftsman and laboratory assistant at the Research Institute. It is here that he shows his talent in the amateur art group.

Fans of the artist are interested in whether he served in the army. There is little information on this. However, users of landing forums call Valera theirs and even know in which part he served.

It is worth noting that Valery did not tell anyone the story of his origin. Rumor has it that even Lyusya, Leontiev's wife, did not know the truth. Maya's husband Georgy Georgievich Rudoy also did not suspect that Valery was his stepson. However, the husband of Leontiev's biological mother said that they loved Valera. He often visited them during a concert in Anapa and helped financially.

The man also admitted that Maya had been diagnosed with many diseases for the past 6 years, which were complicated by dementia.

They met in Vorkuta, then together they entered the Pedagogical Institute. However, Maya did not become a teacher. She devoted her whole life to trade. In recent years, she worked as a store manager. The couple lived happily together for almost 50 years.

Ekaterina Ivanovna died in 1996. Leontiev's dearest and most beloved woman did not live to see her 90th birthday for only one month. Valery Leontiev attended the funeral, which took place in Anapa at the city cemetery.

Yakov Stepanovich died in 1979. In 1954 he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor for his great contribution to reindeer breeding.

Leontiev did not attend Maya's funeral due to knee surgery.

creative career

In April 1972, Valery Leontiev's solo concert took place for the first time. This happened in Vorkuta on the stage of the Palace of Culture of Builders and Miners. Valery decided not to stop there and in the same year took part in "Song-72" in Syktyvkar. Then he performed the song "Carnival in the North" and became the winner.

The prize at the competition was training at the "Creative Workshop of Variety Art G. Vinogradov" in Moscow. However, Valery again abandoned his studies and moved to Syktyvkar, where he worked as a soloist in the Philharmonic. Later he created the Echo group.

Music

Then Valery enters the Leningrad Institute of Culture and in 1978 he graduated from it. The next goal of the future celebrity is the Gorky Philharmonic. There he agrees to work on the condition that he be sent to the All-Union Song Contest in Yalta.

Valera's dream comes true - he performs on stage a 12-minute ballad about "Memory of the Guitarist". For this song, the singer is awarded an award. The competition was broadcast throughout the country, and therefore Valera was noticed. The first who drew attention to the young and talented performer was Tukhmanov. Valera began to cooperate with him. Such compositions as "Beloved Country" (first song), "There in September", "Dance Hour in the Sun" became known throughout the country. For the last song, Leontiev was awarded the Golden Orpheus award.

From the 82nd to the 95th singer was the vocalist of the artistic vocal-instrumental ensemble "Echo". In the same period of time, he was awarded the Lenin Komsomol Prize, and was also awarded the title of "Honored Artist of the Ukrainian SSR."

In the 80s, Leontiev worked closely with the composer and musician Raimonds Pauls. With him, Valery recorded songs:

• "Eclipse of the Sun";
• "Hypodynamia";
• "Green light";
• "Disappeared sunny days»;
• "Years of wandering".

On the joint performance of songs, their cooperation did not end. Raymond invited Valery to participate in his program "Holy love for music."

Valery becomes an honored guest at all song programs held in Leningrad in the Oktyabrsky Hall and in Moscow at the Rossiya State Central Concert Hall.

There he performs his compositions for the first time:

• "Running through life";
• "I'm just a singer";
• "Alone with everyone";
• "Star story";
• “It seems to me that I have not yet lived,” and so on.

In 1988, Leontiev was busy staging the rock opera Giordano. In the musical, he plays 3 roles: Jester, Satan and Giordano himself.

After 3 years, Valery receives an award The World Music Awards for the best performer and for leadership in sales of sound carriers in the USSR.

Later, the show, in which Leonid participated together with the dance group "Todes" "Full Moon", was recognized as the best of the year. In 1977, Leontiev, together with Yuri Chernyavsky, recorded an album entitled "On the Road to Hollywood" and "Santa Barbara". And a year later, not far from the Kremlin in the very center of Moscow, on the "Square of the Stars", Valery Leontiev was awarded a nominal star. A few years later, she appears on the "Avenue of Stars" and in Vitebsk at the "Slavianski Bazaar".

In 1999, Valery, in honor of the anniversary, holds a concert called "Dream Photographer".

In total for your creative career Valery has released 25 studio records. The first one called Muse" - in 1983, and the last one - in 2017. The album is called "This is Love". Each release of the disc was accompanied by a beautiful concert. Valery himself was involved in the organization, staging of dances, and the selection of costumes.

Filmography

Repeatedly Valery Leontiev could be seen in the cinema. First role famous singer- short film "At someone else's holiday." In this film, the actor takes a minor part, however, as in subsequent ones.

Pictures in which Valery starred:

• "Don't go, girls, get married" - cameo;
• "Insurance agent" - a man in a restaurant;
• "Psychic" - "Chinese".

Leontiev auditioned for a role in the film, which was planned to be filmed in Mir orbit. In the film, Valery wanted to perform his favorite song "On the road to the stars." However, the singer never played a role, the medical examination was not passed.

Personal life

Valery Leontiev was credited with numerous novels, including with Laima Vaikule, Larisa Dolina. However, the heart of Casanova Russian stage was tied to one woman.

With Laima Vaikule

With Larisa Dolina

The personal life of Valery Leontiev is shrouded in a veil of secrecy. The singer carefully protects personal space and does not allow outsiders to intrude into it. However, some points are still known to the press. So, the journalists managed to find out that Valery Leontiev was having an affair with Laura Quint.

The woman was struck by the temperament and exotic appearance of the singer. but serious relationship so it didn't work out. Valery left her many times, and appeared when Laura began dating other men. In the end, the woman found the strength in herself and said no. Thus ended the romance of two wonderful artists.

Isakovich Lyudmila - relationship with his wife

The next passion of the famous singer was Lyudmila Isakovich, he is still married to her. The couple never hid that their relationship was more of a working one than a love one. Valery and Lyudmila met in the late 70s. The decision to legalize the marriage was made in 1998.

In 1971, Luda worked as the head of the Syktyvkar ensemble "Echo", and part-time as a bass player. Actually, on this stage and they met. At first, the couple was connected only by work, but later both realized that they could not live without each other.

Lyudmila always spoke reverently about her wife. In one of the interviews, she said that at the beginning of her career, Valera was difficult. The authorities tried to reject the artist's career because of his exotic appearance and frankly bright costumes (which the singer sewed on his own). However, Leontiev did not stop believing in himself and, step by step, paved the way to Olympus.

Lyudmila recalls: “Valera participated in the filming of Ogonyok. For a young artist, this was prestigious. However, at the last moment, the number was cut from the program. The husband cried all night, but did not give up. When I first saw him on TV, I screamed with joy and kissed him on the cheek.

In the 90s, Lyudmila went on tour with the Echo ensemble in the USA. And she never returned from America.

There Lyudmila is grooming dogs. Once she was lucky to get such a job on Broadway. The woman entered easily. At first it all started with washing, and then moved on to scissors.

Later, in one of the interviews, journalists will ask Valery a question: “Why did Luda stay in Miami, where did she get the money, what did she live on?” Leontiev replied then that he had $5,000. He gave all this money to her. Then she began to earn herself. At first she worked as a bartender, then looked after the children on trips. But the most favorite pastime was grooming dogs. Now her dogs are sheared, living in star families.

In addition, Valery told the press that Lyudmila loves to cut not only animals, but also herself. A woman does not refuse herself and dye her hair. As Leontyev says: “She always pours something acid on her head, and then the police ask her for documents.”

When asked why Valery does not live next to his wife in America, Leontiev replied that he had nothing to do there, because he was unknown there. He will be able to stay in the USA only when he earns a lot of money. And this, according to Leontiev, will not be soon.

Valery and Lyudmila see each other only 3 months a year. The couple admits that love at a distance is difficult to endure.

Recently there was a rumor that Valery and Lyudmila divorced. The singer allegedly lives in a Moscow apartment, and left the house to his ex-wife. The artist rejects these rumors and claims that everything is fine with them, and his marital status hasn't changed.

Are there children

Many people ask why the couple does not have children. This is a sensitive topic for Valery. Rumor has it that Lyudmila herself was against this. The supposedly despotic and strict woman does not accept children in the family. For female happiness, a house in Miami and a famous husband are enough for her.

In general, the topic "Leontiev's children" is a favorite among journalists. Many times the artist has been credited illegitimate daughters and sons. However, Valery denies these rumors and says that with his schedule and windiness, he is unlikely to become a good father.

In 2007, rumors leaked to the press that a certain young man appeared in Leontiev's entourage, outwardly strongly resembling Valera himself. When asked who he was and what significance he had in the life of a singer, he answered: "I am the son of Leontiev." The name of this mysterious guy is Alexander Bogdanovich.

Remarkably, Valery did not particularly deny this and took an active part in the life of a young handsome man. First, he hired him as a fitness instructor in his team, then appointed him as a massage therapist, administrator, and then released him on stage.

However, the singer's "love" for the guy ended quickly when he began to become impudent and actively spend Valery's money. Passion was the last straw young man to alcoholic beverages. After that, the men quarreled a lot.

There are still rumors about who this guy is. Some believe that this is indeed his son, while others gossip that Leontiev is gay. Alexander admitted that Bogdanovich is a pseudonym, and his real name- Leontiev. Rumor has it that his mother once met with Valery. However, no one can confirm this information. Apparently, fans will learn the truth only from Leontiev's autobiography.

Disease

It is hard to believe that Valery, recognized as one of the most energetic and plastic singers on the national stage, is experiencing severe pain in his knee. It turns out that in 2012 he suffered 2 the most complex operations on the joint.

Considering how old the singer is (69), his old injuries are making themselves felt. It can be seen that the Leontievs are no longer able to move energetically around the stage. It was rumored that some concerts were held when the artist was injected with the strongest painkiller from his knee. Despite not unbearable pain, Valery still goes on stage and pleases fans with creativity.

Leontyev's wife said that she had been asking her husband to leave the stage for a long time. “I constantly tell him that health is more important, that you need to take care of yourself and, finally, finish the concert activity. But Valera is as hard as a rock.”

This attitude to health resulted in a new problem. In 2018, Sochi hosted the festival " New wave". Valery was supposed to perform on stage with several songs. However, this did not happen. People were worried where the singer had gone. It turned out that he became ill.

On Instagram, Leontiev wrote: Dear friends, I will not perform in today's and tomorrow's concert. The doctors diagnosed me with pneumonia. I am reporting this because I do not want the disease to be overgrown with speculation and rumors.

The journalists managed to find out that the singer did not leave the room for 2 days. An ambulance was on duty at the hotel around the clock. health care, and doctors regularly visited Valery.

Later, Igor Krutoy also spoke about Leontiev's illness. He said that the singer had difficulty moving around the room. He regrets that he will not be able to perform on stage.

Fans are waiting for Leontiev's performance in honor of his 70th birthday.

Outrageousness and style

Glory to the singer came not only thanks to the talented performance of songs, the ability to move on stage. Leontiev differs from other Russian pop artists in shocking and original style.

As the artist admits, excessive love for bright and unique costumes angered the government. Soviet Union. The artist admits that he was constantly called "on the carpet" for too revealing outfits. Valery was even forced to change into tuxedos before the start of the concerts.

Leontiev also said that all costumes are stored in a Moscow apartment. And since the forms of the singer, his weight (85 kg), height (175 cm) do not change over the years, the artist gladly puts them on again.

The artist does not recognize strict suits and ties tightening his neck. Prefers a free style even outside the stage. In addition, Valery loves to wear outerwear on his naked body. Leontiev loves the combination of red and black. These colors are almost always present in stage outfits.

The singer loves white shades. On dark skin, such suits look especially harmonious.

Leontiev does not deny himself the pleasure of demonstrating a pumped-up body. Despite his age, the artist is in great shape. He often wears mesh suits.

You can often notice peculiar "rags" on Leontiev's body. The singer joked about himself, they say, "a beggar with a million in his pocket." Rhinestones, stones, sequins are also the constant components of Valery's stage image.

plastic surgery

This topic is the most discussed by the press. There are legends about the numerous plastic surgeries of Valery Leontiev. It is also noteworthy that the singer himself, unlike other Russian and world stars, does not hide his passion for transforming himself with a scalpel. He says that an artist should always be in shape and look appropriate, because a million people are watching him.

Valery underwent his first plastic surgery back in the 90s. He was the first Russian star who agreed to lie under a surgical knife for the sake of beauty. In Russia, such operations were not carried out, and therefore Leontiev went abroad. The first thing the singer wanted to change in his appearance was the relief of his face. The next target was the teeth. Fans have always been interested in the question of how the artist bleached them. In fact, he replaced them with ceramic ones. Therefore, his smile is snow-white.

Leontiev did not forget about the lips either. He made them bigger and corrected the shape.

But the artist did not stop there. Rumor has it that Leontiev corrected the hips and corrected the relief of the abdomen. The singer has more than 10 operations on his account. Plastic surgeons urge Valery to stop, otherwise, it threatens the story of the Bogdanov brothers and Pete Burns.

Particularly noticeable surgical intervention On the nose. In his youth, his shape is sharp, and after the operation it became rounded and neat. Lip change is also visible to the naked eye. Before the operation, they looked thinner. The upper lip is now thicker than the lower.

The changes also affected the eyelids. Leontiev turned to blepharoplasty more than once. Thanks to this procedure, the artist managed to get rid of the "drooping eyelid". The gaze became open. However, the last operation was unsuccessful. For some time after it was held, the artist could not close his eyes. During the program on Channel One, viewers noticed how Leontiev instilled the solution 2 times. Then the doctors forbade Valery to wear contact lenses.

Unsuccessful operation performed on the face. In a Miami state clinic, the artist's skin was stretched to such an extent that one ear was higher than the other. In order to hide this shortcoming, the artist always performs with his hair down.

Today the singer is 69 years old, and the years take their toll. As a result of operations, Valery's face is far from ideal and without makeup resembles a puppet.

Shortly before 60th birthday Valery Leontiev slightly opened the veil over his personal life. In most cases, he constantly keeps her a secret from the general public, and even the legal wife of Valery Yakovlevich Lyudmila Isakovich few other than that of the artist's staff saw.

For almost 15 years, the singer's wife has been living in their villa in Miami. Valery Yakovlevich, when he escapes from the tour race, flies to America to visit his wife. They have been together for 37 years. Ignoring the fact that evil tongues claim that this is a fictitious marriage, Leontiev agreed " Komsomolskaya Pravda“That Lyudmila is the closest person to him.

“At the time when I met Valera, I immediately liked him,” the singer’s wife said. - At that time I was in charge of the Syktyvkar ensemble "Echo" and was looking for a soloist. I noticed Leontiev and immediately said: “This young man will work with me!” And a few years later, Valera and I realized that we cannot have a friend without a friend. "

Until 1998, Leontiev lived with Isakovich in civil marriage, but later made a formal offer. The wedding was played in America. A free life in two countries suited the singer at first. But, as Valery Leontiev's friends told Komsomolskaya Pravda, shortly before his birthday (on March 19 he will celebrate his 60th birthday), the artist became sad. They say that the singer is very sorry that he still has not acquired offspring.

Indeed, the press has repeatedly claimed that Leontiev hides his illegitimate son Alexander Bogdanovich. who accompanies him everywhere. But Bogdanovich himself denies the rumors.

“We have been friends with Valery Yakovlevich for 15 years. Something similar. I created a special fitness training program for him, based on this, he looks so wonderful, ”Leontyev’s friend told KP. And when asked why he had the name Leontiev in his passport, he answered briefly: “This is the name of my ex-wife. And Bogdanovich is a pseudonym.

“Russian journalists write that I am raising Valera’s illegitimate children here. This is nonsense and absurdity, - Leontiev's wife told KP. - To each his own. I’ll be honest: I didn’t want children under any circumstances, but I won’t mind if another lady gives birth to a child for him.

on the this moment Leontiev is resting in Miami. They say that in new year holidays the singer discussed with his wife and friends his plans for the future.

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Biography, life story Valery Leontiev

Leontiev Valery Yakovlevich - Soviet and Russian singer, film actor.

Childhood

Valery Leontiev was born on March 19, 1949 in the village of Ust-Usa, Komi ASSR. His father Yakov Stepanovich worked as a military livestock specialist, his mother Ekaterina Ivanovna raised children (except for Valery, there was another daughter Maya in the Leontyev family). Ekaterina Ivanovna gave birth to a son at a late age - at 43 years old. By the way, for some time there were ambiguous rumors around the origin of Valery - they said that his mother was not Ekaterina Ivanovna, but Maya. Like, she gave birth to a child at the age of sixteen, and the parents, trying to protect their daughter from shame, wrote the boy on themselves. However, reliable confirmation of this information has not appeared.

Valery grew up as a very frisky boy, he was one of those who cared about everything. IN early childhood he was gored by a goat and a dog bit him, and at the age of five he almost drowned in the Dvina. At the age of six, he began to practice oral creativity - he climbed onto a stool and read poetry to reindeer herders. When I went to first grade, I began to sing in the choir, and quickly became a soloist. True, he had one drawback - while singing, he could not stand still and always turned around, waving his arms. The teachers made comments to him, but they could not correct the soloist. And one day it ended badly.

On that day, Valery performed a song about a fisherman from the stage, while doing it visually - with a fishing rod in his hand, he sat at the “hole”, which was depicted by an overturned stool. However, Valery did not manage to “catch a fish” that day - when he swung the rod, the hook suddenly caught on the leg of the stool. Pulling the fishing rod a couple of times and both times unsuccessfully, Valery swung it in anger for the third time so hard that the stool overturned and almost fell off the stage into the auditorium. The audience began to laugh, and young Leontiev began to cry and ran backstage. “I will never sing from the stage again!”, - he then gave himself a firm word.

Having failed in the song field, Leontiev decided to devote himself to dramatic art and enrolled in a school drama club. And in parallel, he managed to study at a music school in the piano class. According to him: “In high school, conflicts began with parents and teachers. I dressed, spoke and behaved contrary to their requirements. I have always been guided by intuition and never by calculation. I just felt what to do and how to look. Nobody could reason with me. These conflicts sometimes ended peacefully and sometimes not. My parents sometimes beat me, and together ... ".

CONTINUED BELOW

Youth

After graduating from school in 1966 in the city of Yuryevts, Ivanovo Region (the Leontiev family now lived there), Valery faced a choice - where to go next. Since the parents treated their son's stage experiences with a fair amount of skepticism, he was strongly recommended to choose a more serious profession. Which he did, deciding to go to Vladivostok to study as an oceanologist. However, the Leontiev family budget could not withstand such a long trip and this trip had to be cancelled. It was then that Leontiev managed to persuade his parents to let him go to Moscow to try his luck in the acting field. The parents did not object, apparently deciding to give their son the opportunity to see for himself in his own acting failure. They say that he will fail and forever lose interest in the stage craft. And to some extent they were right. Valery applied for acting department GITIS, but did not reach the exams. Arriving at the institute on the appointed day, he saw so many young people who, in his opinion, looked much more promising than he, a provincial with a round dialect, that he did not tempt fate and took the documents. After that, he really for some time forgot about the scene. On the advice of his parents, he went to his older sister in Vorkuta, where he entered the Mining Institute without much difficulty.

Meanwhile, studying at the institute did not bring Leontiev due satisfaction, and after studying for three courses, he left it. After that, he worked with anyone: a postman, a draftsman, a laborer, a weaver at a textile factory, a tailor, an electrician. Moreover, before getting a job somewhere, he first found out whether amateur performance was well established at the enterprise, because then music entered his life again - he returned to singing. In the end, the case ended with the admission of Leontiev to the Syktyvkar Philharmonic in the vocal class. And literally in a year he managed to establish himself among its best performers.

In 1971, the Philharmonic announced a competition for amateur artists in order to send the most intelligent ones to study in the capital. Competitive selection was carried out by a high commission from Moscow. And it had to happen that on the eve of the competition, Leontiev was busy in the performance of the local theater "Zatyukannyy Apostle" and managed to break his leg ... The situation was extremely unpleasant, but it was not in Leontiev's character to give up ahead of time. As a result, even the cast could not contain his energy and the examiners were incredibly surprised by the talents of the 24-year-old singer. So Leontiev, among 14 other lucky ones, ended up in the All-Union Workshop of Circus and Variety Art on the course of the famous singer G.P. Vinogradov.

Star Trek

In 1973 Leontiev finished his workshop and returned to Syktyvkar. There, the instrumental ensemble "Echo" was already waiting for him, ready for the upcoming tour and concert activity. The group was organized by a graduate of the Syktyvkar Musical College Lyudmila Isakovich, who soon became Leontiev's wife. With this team, they traveled almost the entire Union, mainly speaking in the provinces. During one of these performances, Leontiev met the head of the popular Integral ensemble, and he invited the talented singer to join his team. However, Leontiev, for a number of reasons, refused this proposal and continued his solo career as part of the native "Echo".

In 1979, Leontiev left Syktyvkar and moved first to Gorky and then to Lugansk, becoming a soloist with the Voroshilovgrad Philharmonic. It was from her that he went in the same year to the international festival "Yalta - 79", where he unexpectedly became a laureate, performing David Tukhmanov's song "In Memory of a Guitarist". However, the joy of this event was overshadowed by a tragedy - on the day the winners were announced, Leontiev's father died, never knowing about his son's victory.

Acquaintance with Tukhmanov, who in those years was considered one of the most popular composers on the Soviet stage, dramatically changed the fate of Leontiev. It opened the doors to the pop crowd for the once unknown singer, replenished his repertoire with a number of hits (“There in September”, “Wandering the Yellow Slopes”, “Beloved Side”), allowed him to perform at a number of prestigious competitions and win several awards. Among them: "Grand Prix" at the "Golden Orpheus" song festival in Bulgaria in 1980, "Popularity Prize" at the music festival "Yerevan - 81".

However, Leontiev's unusual stage appearance, his expressive manner of performance and his voice, which did not fit into the usual framework, caused a burning rejection among the leaders of the Soviet stage. Therefore, despite the fact that the name of Leontiev was already becoming known among the listeners, the idea of ​​​​expanding his popularity through television did not even arise from the high leadership. Having shown Leontiev only once on the Central Television with the song “Beloved Side” (at the same time, the singer was ordered to stand in front of the camera almost at attention), the officials then stopped letting him on the blue screen. Why? They say that the cup of patience of officials was overwhelmed by the incident that occurred immediately after Leontiev's performance at the Yerevan-81 festival. Accredited at the festival American journalists had the courage to compare Leontiev's vocals with Mick Jagger, and the choreography with Mikhail Baryshnikov. They wrote about it in their journal, and by some unknown means it lay on the table of the former chairman of the USSR State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company. Lapin was indignant (they say that our Soviet singer copies Western idols) and forbade showing Leontiev on television. In the same year, officials from the Ministry of Culture also agreed with Lapin, who included the singer in the "black list" of artists who were forbidden to perform in major cities, such as Moscow, Kyiv, Yalta, etc.

Meanwhile, despite the active resistance of the official authorities, Leontiev's popularity among ordinary listeners in the early 80s was extremely high. In those years, even filmmakers paid attention to a talented singer - director Vladimir Laptev invited him to a small role in his film "At someone else's holiday" (1981). Leontiev's concerts were always sold out, and fans appeared in the pop environment who called themselves "Leontiev's fans." They pursued their idol literally everywhere. For example, when he lived in Moscow, he always stayed at a friend's apartment on Kalyaevskaya Street. And the bathroom windows overlooked the back door. However, despite the fact that the window was covered with a metal shield, the ubiquitous fangirls managed to drill a hole in it and peeped at the washing Leontiev. It was the same in the bedroom - it was the last floor and the fans made a hole in the ceiling and daily "stuck" to it with the secret hope of seeing something "exotic". They were only exposed after plaster collapsed on the singer's bed one evening. Luckily, he wasn't in the room at the time.

However, this was not all that Leontiev's fans were capable of. In another case, for example, he had to give explanations to the police about the suicide of one of his fans. Here is how it was. In the early 80s, Leontiev worked in the popular program "Melodies of Friends" (along with Soviet performers, artists from socialist countries) and lived in the hotel "Ukraine". Once, after a concert, he was sitting in the room of the Polish singer Maryla Rodovich, when people in civilian clothes came for him. "Valery Yakovlevich, please follow us", - they turned to the singer and escorted him to the office of the hotel. There it turned out that one of the singer's fans, having closed herself in the toilet, was poisoned with iodine. At the same time, she left a note at the scene: “I ask you to blame Valery Leontiev for my death”. It is not difficult to imagine what feelings the singer experienced at this news and what work he had to convince people in civilian clothes to believe that he had never known a suicide. Fortunately, the girl was saved and the story was hushed up.

In the early 80s, Leontiev experienced a very dramatic moment - the loss of his voice. It happened during one of the concerts. With great difficulty, Leontiev managed to sing the song to the end, after which he apologized and stopped the performance. The doctors who examined him did not give any guarantee that his voice would be restored after the operation on the ligaments. Therefore, the singer had to look for an “alternate airfield” for himself - in order to engage in a creative profession, he entered the directing department of the Leningrad Institute of Culture. And although the operation that took place soon was successful, Leontiev did not drop out of school and graduated from the university.

Meanwhile, Leontiev's disgrace, announced by cultural officials, continued until 1984. The singer managed to overcome it thanks to the help of another influential composer, who in those years was at the very zenith of his fame. Raymond Pauls obtained permission from the Ministry of Culture to hold Leontiev's concert in the prestigious Rossiya Hall (before that, Leontiev's largest stage venue was the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall in St. Petersburg). However, Leontiev remembered that concert not only for its pleasant side - before it began, the porter on duty did not want to let the singer into the hall, and only the intervention of officials helped to avoid a scandal.

It is worth noting that the song by Pauls performed by Leontiev “Sunny days have disappeared” became the hit of the year.

But back to creative activity Leontiev on stage. In the mid-80s, Leontiev and the Leningrad singer played the title roles in the rock opera Giordano by L. Quint and V. Kostrov. Leontiev played three roles at once: Giordano, Satan and Jester, the witch.

In 1985, Leontiev again performed at the All-Union competition for the best performance of songs from the countries of the socialist community in Yalta and became a laureate. And in the same year, Valery almost died. It happened during the singer's trip to India. Late at night they were returning from the provinces to the city, Leontev was very tired and bowed his head on the shoulder of the driver. However, his wife Lyudmila Isakovich woke up the singer and asked him to move to the back seat. As soon as Leontiev changed places with a woman, a truck without dimensions jumped out of the darkness into the road a few minutes later and an accident occurred. Isakovich was seriously injured and for several hours it was not known if she would survive. Fortunately, everything worked out. By the way, Leontiev himself seriously believed that a certain talisman, which he was presented with during a visit to the Indian Ashram community, saved him from death.

At the end of the next 1986, in the creative life of Leontiev, significant event- On November 10, he was invited to the program "Musical Ring", which, after three years of existence on Leningradsky TV, went on the air on Channel 1. Moreover, in order to break into this program, Leontiev again had to make every effort. Why? The fact is that in those years, the ideological work in the country was supervised by Politburo member Yegor Ligachev, who could not stand Leontiev at all. Naturally, when he found out that a television program was being prepared with the participation of Valery, he said a resolute no. However, the time was already different than five years ago, when one bossy roar was enough to cut down any creative undertaking in the bud. Enough sided with Leontiev famous people from the creative community, who published laudatory articles in various newspapers in support of the singer. And only after that it became possible to invite Leontiev to the "Musical Ring".

Since the late 80s, Leontiev's popularity among listeners has gained a second wind. From now on, not a single musical broadcast on television could do without his participation, a giant disc with songs performed by him was released at the Melodiya company, even the movies could not do without him - director Vitaly Aksenov shot him as one of the main actors in the musical film How to Become a Star. On the back of this success, positive side many personal problems of the singer began to be solved. In particular, the housing issue. In 1983-1989, during his visits to Moscow, Leontiev had to live either in hotels or with a friend on Kalyaevskaya Street. And finally, in the late 80s, through a five-fold exchange, he managed to permanently move to the capital - to an apartment in Tekstilshchiki. Then he exchanged it for an apartment near the Izmailovskaya metro station, and at the very beginning of the 90s, thanks to the order of the Minister of Culture of the USSR Zakharov, he moved to a three-room apartment on Lesnaya Street near the Belorussky railway station.

Meanwhile, despite a new round of popularity, the singer continued to have problems in communicating with individual high-ranking leaders, in particular, with party functionaries. For example, on tour in Kyiv, he was demanded to exclude Raymond Pauls' song "Cabaret" from the concert: “Party meetings are held on this stage and we cannot allow the girls to lift up their skirts on it. If you sing the song “Cabaret” again, you won’t sing at all!”. And Leontiev had to obey.

But, despite this attitude of bureaucrats, Valery was very popular in Ukraine, and not only among ordinary listeners. It was there that he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Republic, where he most often toured with concerts and even acted in films. In 1992, the director of the Odessa film studio Gennady Glagolev took Leontiev in leading role villain in the movie Psychic.

In 1991, Leontiev became the winner of another prestigious song competition - at the Monte Carlo Festival he was awarded the Golden Treble Clef prize.

Meanwhile, like any other popular performer, Leontiev did not escape the most incredible rumors and gossip concerning him. For some time, the St. Petersburg press caused him especially a lot of trouble. For example, in one of the newspapers there, a certain journalist told his readers the sensational news that the real name of the singer was ... Shponkin. Allegedly, in order to hide this dissonant surname, Valery fictitiously married the popular host of the program “From the bottom of my heart” back in the 70s. And after all, there were people who believed this newspaper duck.

Another topic for speculation around the name of Leontiev was his supposedly unconventional sexual orientation. The fact is that the singer himself threw a considerable amount of kerosene into the fire of these rumors. After the failure of his first marriage, he tried to build a family with another woman, but this attempt also ended in divorce. And since then, the singer lived alone. It was this circumstance that fueled the rumors about his unconventional orientation. Couldn't even shake them new marriage Leontiev on his first wife, Lyudmila Isakovich, who left for America in 1993 and stayed there forever. And three years later, he and Leontiev decided to reunite their destinies. While visiting his wife in the mid-90s, Leontiev, in collaboration with the famous composer Yuri Chernavsky, prepared the program “On the Road to Hollywood”.

Despite the appearance on the Russian stage a large number new performers, they never managed to "score" the singers of the "old guard". The same Leontiev looked head and shoulders above his young opponents, although his repertoire looked weaker than it was a decade ago. This is understandable: the talented David Tukhmanov and Raymond Pauls were replaced by very ordinary composers. Standing apart in this series, however, his cooperation with Leontiev cannot be called too fruitful. And the singer himself is to blame for this. According to him, out of ten songs proposed by him, Leontyev chose only three: “The month of May”, “Treasures of the Black Sea”, “I forgot your face”. The rest is in the basket.

Meanwhile, the creative potential of Leontiev was looking for an outlet not only on the stage. The singer was actively invited by filmmakers and theater directors. For example, director Yuri Kara was going to shoot the singer in the film adaptation of Ch. Aitmatov's novel "Cassandra's Brand". However, after undergoing many medical tests, Leontiev was not allowed to skydive due to a long-standing injury. knee joint(he was operated on twice). The only way out was to go to CITO and undergo the necessary treatment. But the singer turned out to have such a busy tour schedule that it was simply impossible to carve out a month from it for the operation.

In 1996, Leontiev again changed his place of residence - from an apartment on Lesnaya Street, where his fans pestered him, he moved to the Moscow region, to luxury home in Valentinovka. True, his peace did not last long, and soon after his appearance in the new abode, fans appeared there. One of them even managed to get into the scandalous chronicle. What did she do? Wanting to attract the attention of the singer, she hard frost undressed to underwear and threw clothes on the territory of Leontiev's house. However, the singer was not at home and the girl stood at the gate in vain. But she achieved one thing - the neighbors drew their own conclusions from what had happened: they say, the artist took advantage of the lady and kicked her out into the cold.

In 1996, V. Leontiev was awarded the title People's Artist Russia.

On March 29, 1998, at the "Square of Stars" near the State Central Concert Hall "Russia", a solemn laying of the star of the People's Artist of Russia Valery Leontiev took place.

Since the 2000s, Valery Leontiev's career has played with new force. The artist continued to record new albums, arranged bright and colorful shows, gave concerts ... His popularity remained, but now it has changed, has become more streamlined. His fans have matured and stopped harassing him with persecution, which allowed Leontiev to concentrate entirely on his work.

In the period from 1983 to 2014, Valery Yakovlevich recorded almost thirty albums. Each record was a huge success with the public. In addition, the artist has shot more than twenty high-quality video clips and starred in a couple of dozen films and television musicals.

In 1977, and this is almost 40 years ago, Valery Leontiev married Lyudmila Isakovich. There was no wedding celebration. Different things are written about their union, for example, that it was a marriage not for love.

It is difficult for media representatives to know the truth. Spouses do not flaunt their personal lives. Despite the touring life of the Russian pop legend, his wife lives in Miami across the ocean.

IN Lately rumors about the alleged divorce of the couple leaked to electronic publications. The reason for these conversations is the lonely life of Valery Leontiev in his apartment in Moscow, far from his wife.

Valery's romance with Lyudmila began in 1972 rather prosaically. At that time she headed the ensemble "Echo" in Syktyvkar. The musical director drew attention to the stately young man. The young man had an unusual and strong vocal and energetically moved around the stage, bewitching with his plasticity.

“I am very grateful to my friend Batak, who lived in the capital. There was a noticeable difference in age between us: I was 19 years old, and he was 34. When Valera and I decided to get on the big stage and conquer Moscow, we first of all went to Batak. He always told me that his house was open to me. And when my future husband and I decided to stay with him, he was surprised, but accepted hospitably. True, he asked me about who my companion was. I replied that I was a colleague.

Valery Leontiev's wife: Joint creativity brought us closer. Sympathy has grown into love.

On Valery's purposefulness: “My husband had an extraordinary faith in his own strength. I maintained this attitude, although I was very worried. He has a vulnerable soul and he painfully experienced minor setbacks. Difficulties hardened his character. Compared to other artists, Valera is a fighter. Colleagues on the stage, faced with various troubles in life, drank too much and left the stage.

At that time, the authorities put obstacles in his stellar path. They spoke about the extravagant costume and lush hair. I had to straighten my hair. Few people know that Valera himself thought out the image for himself and at first sewed the costumes himself.

We huddled in the local Philharmonic. They performed in the evenings, and the rest of the time they settled down. The bright performances of her husband did not go unnoticed. It was filmed for the television New Year's "Ogonyok". All night for the holiday, he sat in front of the TV and waited to be shown, but his number was removed from the concert. That was the first time I saw my husband crying. Only this test did not stop Valera in his plans. AND finest hour has come. When it was shown for the first time on the blue screen, there was no limit to joy. Touched, she kissed the TV. Now it seems ridiculous!”

Lyudmila about her profession as a groomer: “I have always felt a special attachment to dogs. After moving to the States, she represented her earnings from walking dogs. But all the seats were taken. I didn't stop talking to four-legged friends and completed a dog grooming course. On Broadway got practice. There I washed the animals, and after that I worked with the groomer’s tools, including scissors.”

Ludmila's professionalism extends to Leontiev as well. Sometimes she cuts his hair. Having changed her career as a bass player to a specialty in caring for animals, she does not regret at all.

In 2002, in an interview, the megastar admitted to reporters about the difficult lot of his wife over the hill. Main question sounded like this: “Why did your wife, being the manager of your Echo group, stay there forever after a concert in the USA?”

According to Leontiev, the reason is a momentary desire. It was impossible to keep her. It was useless to prove how difficult it is for foreigners to exist in a foreign country. Lyudmila was convinced of this when she was left without a penny in her pocket. At first, she even worked as a dishwasher.

“After parting, I left her five thousand dollars from a concert in New York. She didn’t receive any more money from me and didn’t ask - she earned on her own. When I washed dishes in a restaurant, I graduated from bartending courses. Then she worked on a school bus - she accompanied students on trips.

Now she has a not quite prestigious profession - she cuts dogs. (Laughs.) Lyusenka adored dogs since childhood.

Remembered Valery Leontiev period joint relations in Syktyvkar. After the performance, Lyudmila went into the kitchen and took leftover food for her four-legged wards. At the exit from the institution, hungry Barbos and Bobiki were waiting for her.

They asked the pop star about the cost of his wife's services. “She cuts dogs of people with different incomes and professions. Among regular customers there are doctors, teachers, businessmen. The accumulated base is the result of many years of work and high skill, which is appreciated by the Americans. Lucy was even invited to speak on local television.

At first, Lyudmila tried to fulfill as many orders as possible, even to the detriment of her health. Now not in a hurry for quantity. Serves only regular customers.

The time has come for pet. We adopted a puppy. They called her Nancy, but I like to just call her by her Russian name Nastya.

- Does your spouse cut your hair or do you prefer elite makeup artists?

- Once Lyudmila mentioned that she could even cut bushes and people. She really likes to wield scissors and ennoble objects. So I trusted her. My friends followed suit. Everyone liked the skillful work of the wife. It got to the point where she cut her own hair. Either he cuts himself off like a boy, or he experiments with paint. Once it got to the point that her acid color alerted the cops. The police asked her for documents to check.

- Constant separations. How do you carry them?

- Of course, I would gladly live with my wife. It would be ideal to enjoy the picturesque views of the ocean, spend all the time with your other half. But how do you leave a job you love?

I will not be able to stay in Miami for another reason - the lack of sufficient capital. When I save a lot of money, then I will go there. Although now I am quite a wealthy person, I get good fees. If we recall my youth and the beginning of the ascent to the pop Olympus, the difference is significant and cannot be compared. Now I can call myself to some extent a Rockefeller.

The star spoke openly about his relationship with his beloved woman:

- Lyudmila and I are together for a total of 3-4 months a year. The rest of the time we spend apart and miss. We talk on the phone and it suits us. First of all, marriage became friendship, support for each other, passion and love faded into the background.

Here is such a wife of Valery Leontiev.

Valery Leontiev. Personal life, wife, children. The truth of the legendary artist
Biography of Valery Leontiev, personal life originates on March 19, 1949 in the village of Ust-Usa (Komi).

Ekaterina Ivanovna Klyuts at the age of 43 gave birth to a boy - the future singer, Valery Leontiev. The father's name was Yakov Stepanovich Leontiev, he supported the family on the salary of a veterinarian, and also bred deer. In the future, because of the profession of the father of a novice singer, they will be called with derision a reindeer herder. In addition to Valery, there were two more girls in the family. At the time of the appearance of the youngest child, the elder sister Maya was 15 years old. There is a version that it was she who was the biological mother of Valery, and her mother, in order to hide the shame of her daughter, gave her grandson for her son.

The stories of the appearance of children in the Leontiev family are very confusing. There was a popular version that Jacob was Mai's stepfather. Young Katerina gave birth to her at the age of 18 from a gypsy. Adherents of this theory find confirmation in the exotic appearance of Valery.
Like all creative people, Valery Leontiev had many hobbies: dancing, drawing, dramatic art. The family often changed their place of residence, Valery had few friends. Constant criticism from his parents made him a timid and quiet child. He dreamed of devoting himself to the exploration of the oceans, but the family did not have the money to educate his son. In his youth, he tried himself in the professions of a tailor, an electrician, a factory worker, but he understood that this was not his way.

In the competition "Song-71" Valery first performed on the big stage. The brilliant performance of the song "Carnival" brought him second place. The final breakthrough into the world of show business happened in 1972 at the competition "We are looking for talents", which was held in Syvtyvkar. Here he became the soloist of the ensemble "Echo". In the late 70s, the singer already shocked the Soviet public with his bright, unusual for that time, costumes and solo performances.
The personal life of Valery Leontiev, wife, children, are the most discussed topics of fans. After all, it is this side of life that the artist hides from prying eyes. Fans of talent were at a loss, journalists added fuel to the fire, attributing to him novels with men. The artist did not go out in public with women, did not explain anything to reporters, always behaved with dignity and restraint, not succumbing to provocations from spiteful critics. On stage, he looked sexy and unusual. His revealing costumes sometimes shocked.
Valery's first love happened in school years. He fell in love with his classmate Katya, who, according to the couple's classmates, after two year romance gave birth to a daughter, Irina. Valery himself does not comment on these rumors in any way, so they remain gossip. Composer Laura Quint reported that she and Leontiev had true love, but jealousy prevented their happiness.

Valery Leontiev! Biography, personal life - everything causes delight and surprise. After all, two versions of his birth, his relationship with women, his illegitimate children seem absolutely true.

Valery met his wife Lyudmila Isakovich in 1972, when he got into the Echo ensemble. At that time, Lyudmila was the leader of the group and was looking for a soloist. As Isakovich herself says, at first glance she realized that this was her boyfriend. More than 40 years have passed since then. However, many journalists call this marriage fictitious, I think Lyudmila Isakovich is too rude for the refined creative nature of Valery. In support of this theory, an argument is made that the couple has not lived together for a long time. In the early nineties, Lucy, as Leontyev calls his wife, left with the ensemble for America. She still lives in her own mansion in Miami, and Valery visits her several times a year. Once in an interview, Leontiev commented on his relationship with Lyudmila and said that they were very strong and warm. She is his chief critic and adviser.

Valery Leontiev: personal life, wife. Children? According to the singer, he has no children. He devoted his whole life to a career, and Luce always liked dogs more than children. Once Valery admitted to reporters that he regrets that he has no children. According to rumors, which the singer does not comment on, he even wanted to resort to the services of a surrogate mother, but did not find a worthy candidate.

Needless to say, Valery Yakovlevich is credited with illegitimate children. And of course the singer would gladly acknowledge them if they were really his.

During his career, the singer has released more than 30 albums. He starred in the films: "On someone else's holiday", "Do not go, girls, get married", "Insurance agent", "Psychic". He sang and danced in musicals, won many music awards. He also successfully proved himself as a songwriter. In 2014 he released three albums - "Margarita", "Culprit", "Love Trap". Since 1981, he took part in the "Song of the Year".
IN Last year Valery Leontiev does not go to Miami. In an interview, he said that he wants to change his personal life, and also confessed his love for the audience, music and stage.
At 67, Valery Leontiev looks great, and despite closed access to his personal life and always decent behavior, in the hearts of his fans he continues to be Casanova and a heartthrob.

Valery Leontiev: biography, wife, children - photo: