Rashid Behbudov

The recorded working language is Azerbaijani. The field of work recorded is pop music, opera and film. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are folk music and opera. Positions recorded include deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Distinctions recorded are Order of Lenin, Hero of Socialist Labour, People's Artist of the USSR and Order of the Red Banner of Labour.

Rashid Behbudov was born in Tbilisi into the family of singer Majid Behbudov and Firuza Vakilova. His siblings included theatre director, Anvar Behbudov; and actress, Najiba Behbudova. Between 1934 and 1944, Behbudov worked at the Philharmonic Theater in Yerevan. In the mid-1940s, composer and pianist Tofig Guliyev began creative collaboration with Behbudov. In 1945, upon the invitation of Tofig Guliyev, Rashid Behbudov moved to Baku. In the same year, he was assigned the main role of Asgar in the film The Cloth Peddler (1945 film) (Azerbaijani: Arşın Mal Alan), based on a play by Uzeyir Hajibeyov. His role in this film, combined with his vocal skills, brought him fame throughout Azerbaijan. In a short time, Behbudov also became a prominent Azerbaijani pop singer. His combination of vocal masterpieces ranged from classical performances to lyrical songs. Behbudov's rare vocal talent gave him an opportunity to travel beyond the "Iron Curtain" of the Soviet Union, and as a singer, he toured with concert performances in several countries of the world, including Iran, Turkey, China, India, Japan, Argentina, and many other countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. He sang his songs in Russian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Georgian, and a dozen other languages. In 1966 he created the State Song Theater, which still carries his name, and became its soloist and artistic manager. He was married to Jeyran Behbudova, and was the father of opera singer Rashida Rashid.

The Cloth Peddler (1945 film), as Asker Bakhtiar (film) (1955), as Bakhtiar The 1001st Tour (1974), as Eldar Aliyev