A star falls from "Samanyolu"

Famous pop singer Berkant Akguren, best known for his song "Samanyolu" (The Milky Way), passed away yesterday at the age of 74 at a hospital in Istanbul. The famous singer had been receiving treatment at the Sisli Memorial Hospital for a lung tumor since August and died as a result of growth of the tumor. Born in 1938 in the Turkish capital of Ankara, Berkant first played the harmonica during his secondary school years and then started to play the piano. In 1957, he formed a band called "The Jupiter Quintet" and began to host a program on the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation's (TRT) radio station. Berkant quickly climbed his way up the ladder of fame, especially after releasing his famous song "Samanyolu" in 1967. The song was later performed by Dutch pop singer David Alexander Winter and achieved renown in Europe. A funeral ceremony will be held at Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul on Wednesday.