Ansambel Borisa Kovačiča

Ansambel Borisa Kovačiča was a Slovenian narodnozabavna (folk-pop) ensemble, active from 1960, when it made its first recordings, and one of the most recognisable and best-loved groups of its kind. Its best-known songs, "Prinesi mi rože" and "Tri planike", were later covered many times.

Unlike most such ensembles, it was led not by an accordionist but by the clarinettist Boris Kovačič. The first line-up also had Ivan Papež on accordion, Tone Grčar on trumpet, Milan Izgoršek on guitar and Vinko Štrucl on bass, alternating with Ivo Ciani. After Papež, Vital Ahačič played the chromatic accordion for more than two decades. A demanding day job later made Kovačič give up the clarinet, and Franc Tržan took his place, but he stayed on as artistic leader, main composer and arranger. All the members had been to music school and played from written music.

At first the songs were sung as a duet by Danilo Čadež and Stanka Gorišek. She later married the leader and, as Stanka Kovačič, often sang with the ensemble as a soloist; in a trio line-up, as Trio Vitala Ahačiča, the musicians accompanied her alone. Over the years Tomaž Tozon, Kvartet Do, Šenčurski fantje, Rafko Irgolič, Tone Kozlevčar, Peter Ambrož, Peter Čare and Stane Mancini also sang with them.

Kovačič wrote around 400 pieces, about 50 of them popevke, to words by Gregor Strniša, Matija Barl, Elza Budau, Ferry Souvan, Zvonko Čemažar, Lev Svetek, Miroslav Košuta, Marjan Stare and Ivan Sivec. He also wrote for other singers: at the 1965 Opatija festival Berta Ambrož sang his "Pesem zapoj mi nocoj". Because the members had regular jobs, they seldom played at village dances and toured only Yugoslavia and Austrian Carinthia.

The ensemble released 45 singles, albums and cassettes. Its first long-playing record, Vrni se, sinko, was recorded for Jugoton in Zagreb, and later titles include Lastovkam, Veselo v Kamnik, Lepa krčmarica, Vsi mladi fantje, Dober dan, sonce and Moja dežela. "Prinesi mi rože" sold in a gold edition and all the singles with Stanka Kovačič in silver ones, around 500,000 records and cassettes in all. Other favourites are "Kaj mi lažeš", "Kitara", "Mak je vzcvetel", "Mati" and "Moje sanje, sanje najine". Boris Kovačič lived from 1934 to 1999.