Yigal Bashan

Yigal Bashan was born in 1950 in Nachlat Yehudah

Yigal Bashan was born Yigal Bashari on September 11, 1950, in Nachlat Yehudah, to a family of Yemenite Jewish origin. His parents were Tziona and Yosef Bashari. He loved music from a young age and studied at the Renanim arts high school in Tel Aviv.

In 1965 he began performing with his classmate Shlomit Aharon as the duo Yigal and Shlomit. He then acted in the musical I Like Mike, where Moti Giladi advised him to change his surname to Bashan. In 1968 he released his first single record, and in 1969 he won the Kinor David Award.

From 1969 to 1972 he served as lead singer of the Northern Command Band, while also continuing a solo career. After his discharge in 1972 he released the album Lehishtachrer and was named singer of the year by Army Radio. That year he married Mika Meridor.

In 1973 he won first place at the Mizrahi Song Festival with Likrat Shabbat, and a song he composed won the Israel Song Festival. He was a member of the trio Kmo Tzoani, linked to the children's show Hopa Hey, and worked often with the band Brosh.

In his last years he suffered from chronic pain and clinical depression. He died by suicide at his home in Tel Aviv on December 9, 2018, and was buried at the Kiryat Shaul Cemetery.