Nora Bumbiere

Nora Bumbiere (March 13, 1947 - January 12, 1994) was a Latvian singer who became widely known in Latvia in the late 1960s . Born in Jelgava, she first rose to prominence through her collaboration with composer Raimonds Pauls and performances with the Rīgas Estrādes Orķestris (Riga estrada orchestra) , and in the 1970s established herself as one of the leading voices of Latvian popular music as a solo artist and as part of the ensemble Modo alongside Viktors Lapčenoks . Her expressive voice and frequent concert appearances made her one of the most popular and influential Latvian vocalists of her time .

Early life Nora Bumbiere was born in Jelgava, Latvia on March 13, 1947

She attended Jelgavas 1. vidusskola (Jelgava 1st Secondary school) At age 17, she gave birth to her first son Romualds Bumbieris; therefore, she started studying at night school and began working as a ceramics decorator at the ceramics factory Latvijas Kerāmika (Latvia's Ceramics) in Jelgava

Career When entering a competition in Riga with the ensemble Jaunība (Youth) in 1967, composer Raimonds Pauls, then artistic director of Rīgas estrādes orķestris (Riga estrada orchestra - REO), invited her to sing in the REO's women's ensemble, marking the beginning of her professional singing career . She sang her first solo part in the song Papu, saki mammai pats!, a duet performed with singer Ojārs Grinbergs. Bumbieres' and Grinbergs' performance of the song Cik klusa nakts by Pauls and Alberts Krūklis won third place in the 1970 Mikrofona aptauja contest . Her performance of the song Mūķenes un neticīgā was featured in the Latvian action comedy The Devil's Servants (Latvian: Vella kalpi) in 1970 The same year, Bumbiere, Lapčenoks, Margarita Vilcāne and Ojārs Grinbergs won 1st place in the Mikrofona aptauja contest for their performance of Teic, kur zeme tā; Lapčenoks and Bumbiere won 3rd place in the contest for their debut song Savāda vasara In 1973 Bumbiere and Lapčenoks joined Pauls' ensemble Modo as lead soloists. The group gained popularity in Latvian radio and television The pair won the Mikrofona aptauja contest in 1974 for the song Manai dzimtenei by Raimonds Pauls. The same year, their rendition of the song Laternu stundā was awarded with 4th place in the contest. . The following year, Lapčenoks and Bumbiere won 1st place again with Mēmā dziesma by Pauls and Pēters. In 1977, Bumbiere got awarded with 1st place in the contest for Par pēdējo lapu also by Raimonds Pauls.

In 1978, following disagreements within the Rīgas Estrādes orķestris, Bumbiere left Modo; Viktors Lapčenoks also left shortly afterwards, though he later returns to the ensemble

Personal life and death She married her first husband, Aleksandrs Rezņičenko, a sailor, in 1967. He adopted her first son, Romualds; their marriage lasted 5 years

Bumbiere died from liver cirrhosis on January 12, 1994. Her funeral was held in Jelgava .

Discography Studio albums

Dzied Nora Bumbiere un Viktors Lapčenoks (in collaboration with Viktors Lapčenoks); released by Melodiya , 1978

Compilation albums

Labākās dziesmas part of the series Zelta kolekcija by Microphone records, 1995 Nora Bumbiere by Baltic Records Group, 2003 Nora Bumbiere part of the series Leģendas by Microphone records, 2010 Compilation albums with Viktors Lapčenoks Dueti 1 by Baltic Records Group, 2003 Dueti 2 by Baltic Records Group, 2003

Appearances on albums by Raimonds Pauls

Tev mana labā (1969) - Papu saki mammai pats! (with Ojārs Grinbergs) Raimonda Paula dziesmas ar Alfrēda Krūkļa vārdiem (1970) - Atvadas vasarai and Kāpēc? Tik dzintars vien (1970) - Cik klusa nakts (with Ojārs Grinbergs), Latgalei, Lietus lāses and Zib mūža rats Teic, kur zeme tā (1971) - Teic, kur zeme tā (with Margarita Vilcāne, Ojārs Grinbergs and Viktors Lapčenoks), Ar mani atkal runā kaijas (with Viktors Lapčenoks), Savāda vasara and Mūķenes un neticīgā