There was a scandal over the grave of Willy Tokarev: colleagues are calling for a monument to the chansonnier to be erected

The widow is unable to cope with the situation

This year marks five years since the death of the famous chansonnier Willy Tokarev. According to tradition, a monument is erected at the grave of a deceased person a year after death. However, the famous singer does not have any monument and, apparently, does not have one in the foreseeable future. MK correspondents visited Tokarev’s grave and found out why the monument was not erected.

Willy Tokarev found his last refuge at the Kalitnikovskoye cemetery in Moscow. Finding the grave of a famous singer is not an easy task. It is located deep in the 17th section. It differs from many other burials only in that a monument has not yet been erected on it. There is only a wooden cross here. On it there is a plaque with the name of the deceased, the years of his life and a small icon.

Getting to Tokarev’s grave also turned out to be problematic. Kalitnikovskoe cemetery is quite old. The burials here are located at a short distance from each other. Now all the paths between them are strewn with an impressive layer of snow. As is the grave of the artist himself. Snow even covered the photograph of the star installed near the grave cross.

During his lifetime, Willy Tokarev had many friends: both star colleagues and businessmen… But, apparently, they do not visit him so often. When MK correspondents finally made their way to the chansonnier’s grave, it became clear: no one had been here for a long time. In any case, we did not notice any traces on the lying snow.

The artist Nikas Safronov was friends with Tokarev for more than twenty years. He only learned from our correspondents that there was no monument on the chansonnier’s grave.

“Of course, the fact that a monument to Willie has not yet been erected is wrong,” says Nikas. “The relatives should have done this.” After all, Tokarev loved his family very much. He provided for both his wife and children – he did everything to give them a start in life.

“I haven’t talked to his widow for a long time,” continues the People’s Artist of the Russian Federation. “Perhaps she simply doesn’t have the money for a monument.” Although she is modest, she could turn to his friends – I would also support her request and help. She lives in the USA and after Willie left, of course, she lost his financial support. She probably has to survive on her own in America today. I think it would be right if Willie’s friends chip in and help install the monument. In addition, he did a lot for some of our artists. Once Lyubov Uspenskaya sang his song and this also made a significant contribution to her fame.

“You don’t necessarily need to make an expensive and pompous monument,” says Safronov. – You can just limit yourself to a modest monument. In addition, Willie did not like everything pretentious: he lived modestly and adhered to true human values. He himself was an absolute unmercenary. And although Tokarev was a people’s favorite, he usually performed at small corporate events, so he did not have that much money. Once he turned to me with a request to give him money for heart surgery. Nobody gave him a loan – they were afraid that he would not survive the operation. I went to meet him halfway and lent him money. He performed the operation and soon repaid the entire debt. This suggests that he was an honest and obliging person. Then, as a token of gratitude, he gave me a unique chess set, made in one copy, which prisoners had once made for him in the colony where he performed. These chess pieces are made in the Gothic style, I aged them, and they began to look as if they were made in the 15th century. I still have them. And, looking at them, I always remember this wonderful musician and unique songwriter.