“Pesniary” was a popular Belarusian pop band.

The band was founded in 1969 by guitarist Vladimir Mulyavin.

Before 1970 the band was known under the name “Liavony”.

The period of 1974–1980 is considered the Golden Age of the band when it achieved peak popularity in the USSR, Eastern Europe and in other countries.

Pesniary played different types of music, but it mostly used country with elements of hard rock.

The band often used lyrics only famous Russian

poets of the past.

Pesniary’s favourite poet was Yanka Kupala and the

band adapted his two poems: “Pesnia pra dolyu” and “Huslar”.

In 1979, after the success of the rock opera Guslar, the whole band was awarded the honorary title Merited Artist of the Soviet Union and Vladimir Mulyavin

personally received a higher title of People’s Artist.

After Mulyavin’s death in a car accident on 26 January 2003, the original Pesniary continue to perform.

Several of Pesniary’s songs were composed by Aleksandra Pakhmutova.