Jaromír Nohavica

Who is Jaromír Nohavica?

Jaromír Nohavica or Jarek Nohavica is a Czech songwriter, lyricist, and poet.

He was born in Ostrava and has played guitar since he was 13. He began studying at the Technical University of Ostrava but eventually left the school. He tried various jobs and eventually ended up working as a freelance lyricist. He gained fame with his first song for Marie Rottrová, Lásko, voníš deštěm. He lives in Ostrava with his wife and two children.

In 1982 he started performing in public, a sound decision in that a number of his songs gained wide popularity. His first album, Darmoděj, released in 1988, sold out immediately. An aura of myth arose around Nohavica which survived even the crisis period of his treatment for alcoholism. He subsequently released the slightly pessimistic Mikymauzoleum, an album of mainly melancholy songs. In 1994 he recorded a live album, Tři čuníci, intended for children, with humoristic songs.

In 1996 Nohavica released Divné století. He and his producer employed new instruments and voices for the new songs on the album, and it became a huge success.