Marta Kubisova

Although Marta Kubisová will probably always be listed as a singer and performer first, she came to prominence in a more political fashion, as one of the leading voices of protest against the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Born in 1942, Kubisová first came to the fore as a member of the legendary Czechoslovak pop group the Golden Kids in the 1960s. During the aforementioned Soviet incursion, Kubisová's song "Modlitba pro Martu" (Prayer for Marta) became one of the de facto anthems of resistance to the aggression of Russia. Blacklisting followed soon after, and once she had signed the anti-Communist Charter 77, Kubisová's career was effectively over. Fortunately, she was able to bear witness to the changes of 1989, when the Soviet power structure fell and the Czech Republic became a sovereign state under its own political and social power. Her first solo album, Songy a Balady, was released in 1969, and was followed -- thanks to the blacklisting -- by her second album, Lampa, in 1990. A handful of albums and singles would follow to round out the 1990s, including a 1996 re-release of her debut, but by this time she was devoting much of her energy and interests to more social causes. In addition to her musical work, Kubisová is also an accomplished actress, appearing numerous times on television and in film both before and after her blacklisting. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide