Alexey Ekimyan
Ekimyan's first song for the Moscow International Festival (1957) was approved by Vano Muradeli ("I don't know if you would become a general, but you would become a composer!"). His songs were performed and recorded by prominent Soviet singers that include Lyudmila Zykina, Iosif Kobzon, Lusine Zakaryan. Some hits by Ekimyan were chosen for the "Song of the Year" all-Soviet festivals during the 1970s-'80s.