Eduard Khil, a Soviet singer and entertainer, died on June 4, 2012 at the age of 77. Eduard Khil was born in Smolensk in 1934, where he graduated from the State Institute for Theatre Arts (GITIS). He began his music career in 1950, becoming a folk and pop singer and recording many popular songs. In 1966, he won the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo for the song "I'm So Happy to Finally Be Back Home". Though Khil primarily worked as a singer, he was also a notable entertainer, appearing on television and performing concerts. He was particularly known for his catch phrase, "It's too soon to be sad." Eduard Khil was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland in 2009 and was appointed a People's Artist of the Russian Federation in 2010. He is survived by his wife, Valeria; son, Andrey; and daughter, Irina.