TV Calendar Lost in Time: Rajko Dujmić 'Died' in 1986
HRT's show incorrectly stated the year of the legendary composer's death; wife Snježana reacts.
HRT's show incorrectly stated the year of the legendary composer's death; wife Snježana reacts.
Today's edition of HRT's show 'TV Calendar' sparked strong reactions after it reported that legendary Croatian musician and composer Rajko Dujmić died on this day in 1986. The mistake was noticed and publicly shared on her Facebook profile by Dujmić's wife, Snježana Dujmić, who reminded that her husband actually passed away in 2020.
The author of some of the biggest hits of the band 'Novi fosili' died six years ago from the consequences of a traffic accident, just three days before his 66th birthday. The public remembers him for timeless songs like 'Plava košulja', 'Saša', and 'Reci mi tiho, tiho', which marked the music scene of the former Yugoslavia.
A recipient of the Porin Lifetime Achievement Award and author of more than 1,800 songs, Dujmić began his rich career in childhood. He wrote his first song at the age of 13, and by the sixth grade of elementary school, he had his own band. After finishing secondary music school in Zagreb, majoring in violin, he played keyboards in rock bands such as Grupa Marina Škrgatića, Crno bijeli, Clan, and Zlatni akordi during the 1970s.
His first original song, 'Smij se', was performed in 1972 in Ljubljana with Grupa Marina Škrgatića. The turning point in his career came in 1977 when he joined Novi fosili, although he initially refused Slobodan Momčilović's first invitation, not wanting to offend his colleagues from Crno bijeli. By 1981, Fosili released the album 'Budi uvijek blizu', which sold nearly half a million copies and earned a diamond certification, producing hits like 'Tonka' and 'Ključ ispod otirača'.
Dujmić wrote three Eurovision songs for Croatia. With Novi fosili, he won fourth place in 1987 with 'Ja sam za ples', and in 1989, he composed the music for the winning song 'Rock me' by Riva. In 1991, in collaboration with Zrinko Tutić, he wrote 'Moja domovina', a song that became a symbol of an era.
In the 1990s, after Fosili stopped performing, he wrote hits for numerous artists, including Severina, Željko Bebek, Srebrna krila, Jasna Zlokić, Parni Valjak, and Jasmin Stavros, for whom he also created the stage name.
He met his wife Snježana on a terrace in Primošten, and they married in 1990. He dedicated the song 'Dijete sreće' to her. In May 2024, Snježana premiered the unreleased song 'Bilo je dana', which Rajko wrote in 2011 in collaboration with Mario Rucner, who also sings on it.
"With that line, we wanted to emphasize the song's message, which is that true friendship should be cherished and that nothing can tear it apart. When you hear the lyrics, you'll understand the emotion the song conveys," Snježana Dujmić explained to 24sata.
In April 2024, the album of unreleased songs 'Tko to zove ime moje' was presented at Zagreb's Saloon, the place where some of his greatest hits were created, including 'Za ona dobra stara vremena'.
