Yuri Shatunov

Yuriy Vasilevich Shatunov (; 6 September 1973 – 23 June 2022) was a Russian singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Russian band Laskoviy Mai (Ласковый май), which were active during the 1980's. After Laskoviy Mai disbanded in 1992, Shatunov found recognition as a solo singer.

Name Due to a non-existent relationship with his father, Vasiliy Klimenko, Yuriy chose to use his mother's, Vera Shatunova's, surname at a young age.

Personal life Shatunov was born on the 6th of September 1973 in the city of Kumertau (Bashkir ASSR), Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of the former Soviet Union. His father, Vasiliy Vladimirovich Klimenko, was half Russian and half Ukrainian.

At the age of three, Yuriy was abandoned by his father and thereafter, raised by his grandparents and then by his mother. When he was 11, his mother died of a heart disease. He went to live with his aunt's family, who soon found themselves unable to support him.

Shatunov was sent to Orenburg Children's Home Number 2 in Orenburg, where he had a reputation for poor behavior. This included running away from the orphanage, playing the guitar, singing on the streets to get money and cigarettes, getting into fights, and avoiding work.

He met with Sergei Kuznetsov, a music teacher in the orphanage, and they formed the band, "Laskoviy Mai" ("Tender May") At the age of 13, Yury Shatunov became the frontman for Laskovy Mai. One of the most common themes the young band members would sing about was unfortunate love. This was uncommon at the time, although, atypical considering the age of the two, both young teenagers. This group, in which Shatunov was the most famous lead singer, existed from 1986 to 1992. It was very popular in Russia.

In 1996, Shatunov moved to Germany, where he wanted to complete his education, but left unfinished as a result of his turbulent youth and early career in music. Whilst in Germany, Shatunov learned how to become a music producer.

Shatunov had a wife, a son and a daughter. Shatunov and his wife married in 2007 in Germany, after seven years of dating.

Yuriy Shatunov died on the night of 23 June 2022 of acute heart failure (myocardial infarction) in a Moscow hospital at the age of 48. The singer's condition deteriorated critically on the way to a hospital in Domodedovo where he underwent intensive resuscitation, but could not be saved. Funeral ceremonies for Yuriy Shatunov were held on 26 June 2022 in the farewell hall of Moscow's Troyekurovskoye Cemetery. He was cremated a day later. On 28 June 2022, the urn containing his ashes was partially buried in Moscow's Troyekurovskoye Cemetery and the other part of the ashes, in accordance with the singer's wishes, were to be scattered into one of the lakes in Munich, Germany.

Rights to songs and performances On 17 June 2022, it became known that Shatunov had sued for the rights to the compositions of the group "Tender May". On 20 June the singer gave the last TV interview in his life, in which he commented on the trial with Razin. In 1992, the songwriter Sergey Kuznetsov signed a contract with Andrey Razin and 14 years later they made a deal, based on which the producer became the sole owner of the group's hits. However, during the trial it turned out that "no one has ever seen the original contract." Moreover, the examination proved that Kuznetsov's signature was forged, which meant that the transaction was wrong.

Discography Studio albums Do You Remember... (1994) Remember May (2001) Gray Night (2002) Leaves Fall (2003) If You Want... Don't Be Afraid (2004) Record My Voice (2006) I Believe... (2012) Happy Birthday! (2017) On Christmas (2018) Don't Be Silent... (2018) Favorite Songs (2019) Thank You (2020) I Cannot Stop (2020) Snow Covers Leaves (2020) About White Roses (2025) Don't Argue With Me (2022) To Each His Own (2022)

Singles

Belye rozy – The White Roses: 1986 demo, 1988, 1996 remix, 2003 remix, 2004, 2005, 2019 Zabud – Forget: 2001, 2002 remix, 2004, 2019 Tet-a-tet – One-in-one: 2011, 2019 A leto cveta – The summer colors: 2012, 2018 Detstvo – Childhood: 1992, 2002, 2005, 2019 Sedaya noch – Grizzled night: 1986 demo, 1988, 1996 remix, 2001, 2019 Ne boisya – Do not be afraid: 2003, 2005, 2018 Rozovyi vecher – Pink evening: 1988, 1996 remix, 2003 remix, 2005, 2019 Gryozy – Dreams: 2014, 2018 Leto – Summer: 1986 demo, 1988, 1996 remix, 2001 remix, 2004 Vecher holodnoyi zimy – Cold winter evening: 1986 demo, 2002, 2019 Ryadom s nei – Next to her: 2014, 2018 Chto zh ty, leto – What are you, summer: 2002, 2019 Nu chto zhe ty – Well, what are you: 1986 demo, 1988, 1996 remix, 2004 Zvyozdnaya noch – Starry night: 1992, 2018 Poezda – Trains: 2014 Pust budet noch – Let it be the night: 1986 demo, 1988, 2004 Glupye snezhinki – Silly snowflakes: 1988, 2011 Zhizn moya – My life: 2014, 2018 Zapishi moi golos na kassettu – Record my voice on tape: 2005, 2018 Medlenno uhodit osen – Slowly autumn departs: 1986 demo, 1988, 2002, 2005, 2019 Odnoklassniki – Classmates: 2015, 2018 Maiskii vecher – May evening: 2008, 2012 Zvezda – Stars: 2015, 2018

Padayut listya – Leaves are Falling: 2001, 2002 remix, 2005 Ot belyh roz – From the white roses: 2011 Tayuschii sneg – Melting snow: 1986 demo, 1988, 1996 remix, 2005 I ya pod kitaru – And I play guitar: 2015, 2017 Ty prosto byl : You've just been: 1988 Ya otkrovenen – I'm frankly: 1986 demo, 1988, 1996 remix, 2004 Posle vypusknogo – After the graduation: 2005 Ne molchi – Do not be silent: 2018 Privet – Hi: 2012 Esli hochesh – If you want to: 2004 Ya teryayu – I'm losing: 2001, 2002 remix S dnjom rozhdenija: Happy birthday – 2017 I upav na koleni – And having fallen on his knees: 1993 Ya veryu – I believe: 2012 Ty prosti menya, prosti – Forgive me, forgive: 2005 V pozhdestvo – (On) The Christmas: 2018 Bez tebya – Without you: 2012 Skolko mozhno – How much: 2005 A pomnish – The remember: 1999, 2005, 2019 A ty vosmi i pozvoni – And you take it and call: 2018 Ya peressorilsya v dozhdyom – I quarreled in the rain: 2001 Ne hochu – I do not want: 2012, 2019 Mama – Mum: 1993 Ty mne ne verish – You do not believe me: 2018 Romashki – Daisies: 2012, 2019 Pismo – Letter: 1993, 2019 remix