Composer Cengiz Tekin Dies at 71, Leaving a Rich Song Legacy

Composer and singer Cengiz Tekin has died at the age of 71, CNN Türk reported on 11 November 2026. Tekin wrote “Neden Saçların Beyazlamış Arkadaş” (“Why Has Your Hair Turned White, Friend”), one of the songs he is best remembered for in Turkish music.

According to the report, his daughter announced his death in a post on her social media account. He was buried in Istanbul on the same day.

Cengiz Tekin and the songs he left behind

Tekin was born in 1955 and worked as both a composer and a vocalist. CNN Türk says his career began to rise in 1975, and he went on to write many songs over the following decades.

Besides the title above, the report names “Dert Kitabı” (“Book of Sorrows”), “Diyemedim” (“I Could Not Say”), “Zalimden de Zalim” (“Crueller Than the Cruel”) and “Senin Yerine” (“In Your Place”). The report also says he worked in other areas of the music industry, though it does not give details.

Famous voices who sang his compositions

A composer’s reach often shows in who performs the work. According to CNN Türk, Tekin’s songs were recorded by Ferdi Tayfur, İbrahim Tatlıses, Müslüm Gürses, Bergen, Adnan Şenses, Mine Koşan and Kamuran Akkor.

These are some of the best-known names in Turkish popular music. For international listeners, the list shows how a songwriter can shape a repertoire without always being the face of it.

What to know about his legacy

The source describes Tekin as leaving behind a broad archive of works. It does not give a full catalogue, release dates or chart details, so those are not covered here.

Readers who want to explore his work can start with the five titles named in the report and look for the versions recorded by the artists listed above.

Source: CNN Türk
Featured image: CNN Türk