Matti Caspi Dies at 76 After Cancer Battle: Leaders Mourn Influential Israeli Musician
By The Media Line Staff
Israeli singer, composer and producer Matti Caspi has died at 76 following a battle with cancer, Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital announced.
His family said in a statement: “With a heavy heart and deep sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved husband and dear father. The light of our lives has been extinguished. His love and the work he left behind will always remain a part of us forever. You were and will remain the essence of our existence.”
Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Israeli music, Caspi’s career spanned more than five decades. As a performer, arranger and composer, he helped shape the sound of modern Hebrew song, blending folk, rock, jazz and classical influences into a distinct musical style that became familiar to generations of listeners from the 1970s onward.
President Isaac Herzog eulogized Caspi, saying: “Far too soon, Matti Caspi, one of the greatest Israeli creators of our generation, has left us and moved on to watch over us from above. We are left with his masterpieces, with the melodies that did justice to wonderful lyrics and gave them eternal life, with the compositions that shaped Israeli music for decades, with the arrangements in which his unique fingerprint was so evident.”
Beyond his own recordings, Caspi wrote, composed and produced for many of Israel’s leading artists, contributing to a body of work that became central to Israeli cultural life and a point of study for young musicians.
Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar also paid tribute, saying: “With great sorrow we say goodbye today to Matti Caspi, the giant singer and creator who touched all our souls and brought us classics that became invaluable assets in Israeli music. His legacy will continue to resonate for many years to come. May his memory be a blessing.”
Caspi continued to perform and create music even as his health declined in recent years, remaining closely connected to audiences.
He is survived by his wife and children. Funeral arrangements had not been announced at the time of publication.
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