Pál Szécsi
Pál Szécsi (19 March 1944 – 30 April 1974) was a Hungarian pop singer, arguably one of the most popular of all times, achieving unprecedenced cult status during his lifetime.
Biography
Pál Szécsi was born on 19 March 1944 in Budapest. His father Ferenc Szécsi, a professor of linguistics, was shot in the last months of World War II. His mother gave one-year-old Szécsi and his two siblings to foster parents, and during the Revolution of 1956, fled the country for the USA through Austria. She traveled with Szécsi's older sister until the train station of Vienna, but she left her there, eventually leaving Kati and Pál in Hungary. These events later resulted in serious psychological illness and nerve problems for Szécsi as he grew up.
The orphaned boy was taken into state care, where he remained until age 16. After leaving, he worked as a laborer at several places, until at a workplace meeting, his engaging style and motion were taken notice of by the assembled members. Inspired by this, Szécsi became a model and quickly became quite successful. At New Year's Eve, 1965 he took part in a fashion show organized in Hotel Gellért. After the event, he went into the hotel bar and sang three songs. Soon afterward, through the efforts of one of the patrons of the bar, Szécsi was introduced to Júlia Benk who would become his singing teacher and under whose tutelage Szécsi would begin his professional career. In consulting Benk, László Bánki (a talent-scout working at the National Television in search of young talent for the upcoming Táncdalfesztivál) was recommended Benk's favorite student, Szécsi. Invited to perform at the festival, Szécsi sang Csak egy tánc volt at the show and this performance lifted him into immediate popularity, becoming a household name in the country.
