Vigen Derderian (, ; , ; 23 November 1929 – 26 October 2003) was an Iranian pop music singer and actor. He was known "King of Iranian pop" and the "Sultan of Jazz." He was an Iranian Armenian by ethnicity and sang in both Persian and Armenian.

During the golden age of Persian pop (the early 1970s) until the 1979 Islamic Revolution, many Iranian performers and celebrities—among them Delkash, Pouran, and Elaheh—yearned to be associated with him.

Early life

Vigen was born into an Iranian-Armenian family of eight children in the western Iranian city of Hamadan. and discovered his affinity for American, Italian and Spanish music and adopted many of those melodies for his songs with Persian lyrics that became some of Iran's most popular music to date. Vigen's cinematic debut came in 1955, when he was discovered by the prominent Armenian-Iranian director Samuel Khachikian for a role in this film.

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|1955

|Khoon va Sharaf

|Blood and Honor

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|1959

|Tappe-ye Eshq

|The Hill of Love

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|1965

|Aroos-e Darya

|The Bride of the Sea

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|1969

|Atash va khakestar

|Fire and Ashes

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|}

Personal life

His first wife was named Olga and they had three daughters together, including actress Aylin (also known as Eileen or Ailen), Aylin's fraternal twin sister, singer Jaklin Munns (also known as Jacqueline), and Katrin. His second wife was named Nadia and they had one daughter named, Evelyn, and one son named Edwin Derderian. His third wife was Karen Holston Derderian (1951–2015) and he had a step-daughter, Robin Navonne Brakefield. At the time of his death he had recorded more than six hundred songs, starred in six motion pictures and made guest appearances on various popular TV shows including The Bob Hope Specials, The Jack Benny Show and the TV series Mission Impossible.

Discography

Select albums

  • 1979 - Vigen
  • 1984 - Hamkhooneh EP
  • 1985 - Duets
  • 1989 - Viguen Armenian Songs
  • 1989 - Taraneh Man
  • 1989 - Viguen 1 EP
  • 1991 - 43 Viguen Golden Songs
  • 1991 - Asb-e Som Tala
  • 1991 - Kooleh Bar
  • 1991 - Mahtab
  • 1992 - Saghi
  • 1993 - Zan-e-irooni
  • 1995 - Shahdoomad
  • 1996 - Soltan-e Eshgh
  • 1997 - Be Yade Tehran
  • 1998 - Bazgashte Dobareh
  • 2006 - Viguen 2
  • 2006 - Viguen 3
  • 2006 - Viguen 4
  • 2006 - Viguen 5
  • 2006 - Best of Viguen
  • 2008 - It's Raining
  • 2008 - 40 Golden Hits of Viguen
  • 2008 - Mahtaab
  • 2008 - Dirooz Emrooz
  • 2008 - Dokaboutar
  • 2008 - Shah Doumaad
  • 2008 - Ahanghaye Do Sedaiy
  • 2008 - It's Raining
  • 2011 - The Best Hits Vol 2
  • 2011 - The Best Hits Vol 3

See also

  • List of Iranian musicians
  • Music of Iran
  • Persian pop music
  • List of Iranian Armenians
  • List of Iranian Americans
  • Rock and alternative music in Iran

Notes

References

  • Vigen Death in BBC
  • Vigen Biography on BBC Persian
  • Vigen Bio on Iranian Chamber
  • Sheet Music of songs by Viguen