Özkan Uğur

Raif Özkan Uğur (17 October 1953 – 8 July 2023) was a Turkish pop and rock musician, member of the renowned band MFÖ and actor. After starting his career in 1970, he became a founding member of Kurtalan Ekspres in 1972, which included Barış Manço. After switching several bands for the next few years, Uğur formed MFÖ together with Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner in 1980.

Uğur started acting in 1983 in theatrical plays of Ferhan Şensoy, later acting in movies and TV series as well, most notably in Cennet Mahallesi, Poyraz Karayel and films of Cem Yılmaz. Uğur died in 2023 of complications of lymphoma, which he was diagnosed with in 2013.

Early life Raif Özkan Uğur was born on 17 October 1953 in Istanbul, Turkey. He was the fifth child of the family. Uğur started playing the mandolin in primary school. While attending the , he founded an amateur band named Atomikler.

Music career Early years Özkan Uğur started his professional career in 1970 with the Şerif Yüzbaşıoğlu Orchestra as a bass guitarist. In 1971, he met Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner, and joined their band named Kaygısızlar. When the group dissolved in 1972, he joined Barış Manço in the Anatolian rock band Kurtalan Ekspres as a founding member. When the group temporarily dissolved when Manço left to complete his mandatory military service, Uğur formed Ter together with two others. Erkin Koray later joined the group. He came back to Kurtalan Ekspres from 1973 to 1974 after Manço returned from the military. In 2017, the group released their first album in 5 years. Uğur was the only member of the band to not have released a solo album. In 2015, Uğur joined the Poyraz Karayel cast, starring as İsmail Karayel, the father of the main character. Additionally, he played in Cem Yılmaz' movies G.O.R.A., A.R.O.G and Arif V 216 in 2004, 2008 and 2018 respectively.

In 2013, Uğur was diagnosed with lymphoma. In July 2020, Uğur defeated cancer for a second time. In April 2022, he announced that he was diagnosed with cancer for a third time, which was successfully treated again, but harmed his organs. In late June 2023, it was announced that Uğur was intubated and placed in an intensive care unit. On 8 July 2023, he died at a hospital in Istanbul, at the age of 69. On 11 July 2023, he was interred at Karacaahmet Cemetery in Istanbul.

Discography

Barış Manço & Kurtalan Ekspres 1972: Ölüm Allah'ın Emri / Gamzedeyim Deva Bulmam 1973: Gönül Dağı / Hey Koca Topçu Nazar Eyle / Gülme Ha Gülme

Erkin Koray & Ter 1972: Hor Görme Garibi / Züleyha

Mazhar-Fuat 1974: Türküz Türkü Çağırırız (LP)

Edip Akbayram & Dostlar Orkestrası 1974: Garip / Kaşların Karasına

Ersen & Dadaşlar 1975: Dostlar Merhaba / Ne Sevdiğin Belli Ne Sevmediğin Gafil Gezme Şaşkın / Güzele Bak Güzele 1976: Ekmek Parası / Zalim

Selda & Dadaşlar 1976: Türkülerimiz (LP)

Seyhan Karabay & Kardaşlar 1976: Kan Davası / Dam Üstünde Çul Serer

İpucu Beşlisi 1976: Heyecanlı / Hop Otur Hop Kalk

Grup Karma 1978: İmkansız / Mutlu Mu Gülenler

MFÖ

Source:

Filmography Television series