Biography  

GUNTARS RAČS

Poet and musician Guntars Račs was born on March 25, 1965. His birth place is the seaside town of Liepāja in Latvia. There he mastered his skills in E. Melngailis Secondary School, in class of percussionists. At the age of 15 he started to write poetry and at the age of 16 his first poems were published in the local newspaper and regional publications like "Draugs", "Liesma", "Padomju Jaunatne" and others.

 Since 1981, he was performing as a drummer and also known as an author of song lyrics for such bands like "Liepājas Trio", "Neptūns", "Jāņa Lūsēna Grupa", "Salve", "Varavīksne", „Slēģi ", "Jauns Mēness" and "bet bet".
 Guntars Račs has been working closely with almost all of the well known Latvian Composers, including, Maestro Raimonds Pauls, Jānis Lūsēns, Imants Kalniņš, Mārtiņš Brauns, Uldis Marhilevičs, Ainars Virga, Raimonds Macats, Tomass Kleins, Zigmars Liepiņš and Arnis Mednis. As a result of his cooperation many songs have been composed for bands - "Līvi", "Jauns Mēness", "Odis", "Liepājas Brāļi", "Dzeguzīte", "bet bet", "Zodiaks", "Turaidas Roze", " Credo", "Neptūns", "Opus Pro", "Monro",” Fomins & Kleins”, “Cacao”, “Leģions”, “Putnu balle”, “Iedomu spārni”, “Cosmos” as well as for singers - Olga Rajecka, IGO, Laima Vaikule, Marija Naumova, Andris Ērglis, Liene Šomase, Jānis Moisejs, Aisha and many others.  
During his colloboration with Raimonds Pauls and American poetess Molly Ann Leikin songs for album for Swedish Singer Sonja Bishop were composed. And in turn, in colloboration with Norwegian Poet Vidar Borstad has wrote songs for several International Projects. The song lyrics of Guntars have been translated into Swedish, Russian, English and German Languages.
 On more than one occasion, he has received the award of “The best author of song lyrics” ("Gada labākais dziesmu tekstu autors") according to the professional music survey "Raimonds". Based on amount of albums sold he has received more than 10 awards of gold and platinum disks. For several years in turn, the song lyrics of Guntars were the most played and performed on the well-known Latvian radio station Latvia’s Radio 2 (“Latvijas radio 2”), which earned him awards. 

 Songs with lyrics of Guntars have been included in countless Latvian song albums, song sections as well as in movies, which have been published in Latvia and elsewhere in the World.   
 
 Two poetry books and picture-books for children - "Minkas Diena" and "Māsiņa Krāsiņa" were published in 1992.  The poetry book "100 dzejoļi" came out in 1993.
 A show and song album “Čaka ielas dziesmas" was made together with Raimonds Pauls.
The musical “Leģenda par Zaļo Jumpravu” by Raimonds Pauls and Guntars Račs was a great success in the Daile Theatre and was based on the original play of Guntars Račs.
 The band "bet bet" also took part in this play, and both authors gave live performances.
 Radio plays were established particularly for Latvia’s Radio -" Multipasaule", "Ādams un Ieva" and “Muļķīši un televizors”.
 The new play "Sētnieks" was written in the summer of 2000, which has still not experienced its premier. In collaboration with Uldis Marhilevičs was grounded the cycle of choir songs “Gaismas atgriešanās” and it was also performed at the great youth choir Song Festival.  

 At various times, songs with the lyrics of Guntars Račs have been represented in Eurovision Song International finals from Latvia. Among them was the song “Dziesma par laimi”. It was the only Latvian song in Latvian Language that has ever been played at the International final of this competition.

 Guntars plays an important role in the music business and is one of the founders of the largest music record Company “Mikrofona Ieraksti" in Latvia. He is engaged there as a Repertory Director. In the Baltic States he represents the interests of World – scale record Company EMI Records. Has signed Contracts with artists such as Prāta Vētra, Līvi, Laima Vaikule, Andris Ērglis, Aisha, Kristīna Zaharova, BTH, Boyza, Ella, Vaidava, Tumsa, Labvēlīgais Tips. Normunds Rutulis, Ance Krauze, Liene Šomase, Credo, Bonaparti.lv, Cosmos and many others. Guntars is also one of the founders and Executives of the Company and one of the largest publishing houses of music authors- “Izdevniecība MicRec” in Baltic States. Among the authors of the publishing house are Raimonds Pauls, Renārs Kaupers, Mārtiņš Freimanis, Lauris Reiniks, Tomass Kleins, Ainars Virga, Uldis Stabulnieks and many other well known writers.

Guntars is a founder of Latvian Copyright society “AKKA-LAA” as well as one of the founders of “Latvian Music Producers Association LAMPA” and “Latvian Performing Rights Association LAIPA”. Have participated in the several competition jury works in festivals like “Liepajas Dzintars” , “Calis”, ”Dejo ar zvaigzni”, “Bernu Eirovizija” etc.

 With the band "bet bet" as a drummer, Guntars still performes in concerts today. He continues to record and publish successful song albums.

The most popular songs with lyrics of Guntars Račs:

“Dzeguzīte”
Anniņa Vanniņā, Kapteinis Reinis , Lācis, Piena Ceļš
"Līvi"
Eglīte, Ozolam, Piedod Man, Zelta sirds, Tikai Tev un Man, Kādā brīnišķā dienā
"Liepājas Brāļi"
Tikai Tā, Ej uz visām debess pusēm
"bet bet"
Diena ,Vakara Vējā, Es tevi nemīlu, Tur tālāk, Pēdējo Reiz, Kāpēc man nav sarkans Mersedess
"Zodiaks"
Nakts, Vējš, Pūt Vējiņi
"Jauns Mēness":
Vai ar to tev nepietiek?, Es esmu vēl dzīvs, Laiks, Tiesa
Olga Rajecka:
Dzīve ir viena, Sapnis, Es vēlos dejot
Ivo Fomins:
Viņa raud, Pārāk daudz
“Fomins & Kleins”:
Muzikants, Tālu prom, Dziesma par laimi
Andris Ērglis:
Ripoja Akmens, Sirdspuksti
Liene Šomase :
Jauna diena, Klauns, Tu esi mana mīlestība
Putnu balle:
Divi eņģeļi
Aisha:
Viņa tev vairs nepieder
 Harijs Spanovskis and Jānis Paukštello:
Laba, laba ir, Jādzīvo lai būtu prieks, Tikai nesaki nevienam
Ance Krauze:
Rasa, Šūpoles
Normunds Rutulis
Par to ( Raudāja māte), Nekur nav tik labi kā mājās, Kūko, kūko, dzeguzīte