Israelis are mourning the death of legendary singer songwriter Arik Einstein on Tuesday night, only hours after he was admitted to a Tel Aviv hospital suffering from an aortic aneurysm. Einstein was 74 years old. "The songs he composed and sang are the soundtrack for Israel," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. "With much sadness Israel parts with a cultural giant." Einstein's voice and songs have famously led the country, since its early years, through periods of difficult wars and conflict. His unforgettable lyrics, such as "you and I will change the world," became instant classics in Israel. His rendition of the song "Cry For You" became the unofficial Israeli requiem for assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. Einstein recorded some 500 songs over his 40-year career as part of the Nahal army band, Green Onion, The Yarkon Bridge Trio and The High Windows, and of course, in his solo albums, in which he often collaborated with the country's best artists. The story of the young soldier with the baritone voice who began to sing in the Nahal band and became one of the most successful Israeli musicians of all time began in Tel Aviv 74 years ago. In his youth, Einstein was an outstanding athlete and the country's under-18 high jump champion. His father Yaakov, an actor with the Ohel Theater company, pushed him to audition for the Nahal band, where he impressed judges and industry giants Uri Zohar and Chaim Topol. It was only a short while before Einstein became a stand-out act in the mythological military band. Einstein is considered a musical pioneer for his extensive collaborations with producers and other musicians in Israel, including Shalom Hanoch, Miki Gabrielov and Yoni Rechter. In 1964, he joined folk singer Benny Amdursky and Yehoram Gaon to form The Yarkon Bridge Trio. The same year, he tried his hand at acting, performing in the comedy "Sallah Shabati" alongside Topol. He returned to the silver screen six years later in "Shablul," a film comprising comedic sketches by the 1970's iconic troupe of Israeli singers and actors Chavurat Lul. Two years after that, he filmed cult classic "Metzizim" with Zohar. In 1992, Einstein joined Tzvi Shissel and Shlomo "Moni" Moshonov to film "Kvalim." He released his first album of dozens to come, "Singing For You," in 1966. That same year, Einstein joined Shmulik Kraus and Josie Katz to form The High Windows. The trio enjoyed widespread success, penning songs that remain staples of Israeli music even now, including "A Sad Song," "You Can't" and "Yehezkel." A year later, Einstein began what would become his most fruitful collaboration with Israeli rock star Hanoch. The pair released several hits, among them the album "Palestina," which features a duet with Katz called "What About Me." In 1974, Einstein began his work on a series of albums entitled "Good Old Israel," reworking old Hebrew songs into new classics. Einstein's career changed forever after the singer was involved in a serious car accident in 1981. Following the incident, he decided he would no longer perform live, but would focus exclusively on recording albums. In 2005, Einstein was awarded the AKUM prize for his musical achievement, and in 2006 he won a special award from the Music Channel. In recent years, Einstein was not known to frequently leave his Tel Aviv home. He is survived by his wife, actress Sima Eliyahu, and four children.
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