Indonesian singing legend Bob Tutupoly passed away at midnight on Tuesday. He was 82 years old.
Bob had suffered a stroke and went back and forth to the hospital for medical treatment since December of last year. His condition had worsened due to complications from several other diseases due to his age.
Sasha Karina Tutupoly, Bob’s only daughter, said today that he was admitted to the ICU in early May for around a month due to his deteriorating health.
According to Sasha, Bob initially showed signs of recovery and was preparing for home care.
“However, his condition got critical last night and couldn’t be helped anymore,” Sasha said.
Bob’s body is laid in state at a funeral home of a hospital in South Jakarta. He will be buried at Tanah Kusir cemetery in South Jakarta on Thursday.
Born Bobby Williem Tutupoly in Surabaya to Moluccan parents, Bob began his singing career in the early 1960s before rising to fame thanks to a song titled Widuri, written by Slamet Aryadi, which he sang in 1976 after his return from the US. His other hit singles, which are mostly ballads, include Tinggi Gunung Seribu Janji, Mengapa Tiada Maaf (Why No Forgiveness), and Kerinduan (Longing), among others. Bob had represented Indonesia at numerous international stages.
Aside from singing, Bob was also a TV host for shows such as quiz show Pesona 13 and Ragam Pesona, and hosted a music show Tembang Kenangan (Song of Our Memories) when he was older. He also acted in a number of films such as Gli Innamorati Della Becak (Love Story of a Becak Driver) in 1958, which was directed by an Italian filmmaker, Penasaran (Curious) in 1977, and Sebelah Mata (Indonesian title: Civic Duty) in 2008.
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