# Do you remember Zamfir? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510 "2026-08-23T18:23:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/1 "2026-08-23T18:23:07Z")
He is now 85 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/2 "2026-08-23T18:27:45Z")
Without googling, guy who played a pan flute? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/3 "2026-08-23T18:29:51Z")
Only the Cheesy commercials. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/4 "2026-08-23T18:35:05Z")
Yes, I remember him well, he was a staple of 70s German music TV shows, as were TV commercials for his records. I never liked him, because I never liked the pan flute. This was music that the grown-ups listened to (though my parents had none of his records). ETA: there were similar guys like him who had success with playing easy listening instrumental songs on their respective instrument, like Richard Clayderman on piano or Ricky King on electric guitar, equally heavily promoted by TV commercials. > **[Richard Clayderman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Clayderman)** > > This is an accepted version of this page > Richard Clayderman (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}French pronunciation: \[ʁiʃaʁ kledɛʁman\]; born Philippe Pagès French pronunciation: \[filip paʒɛs\], 28 December 1953 in Paris) is a French pianist who has released numerous albums including the compositions of Paul de Senneville, Olivier Tous... > **[Ricky King](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_King)** > > Ricky King (born Hans Lingenfelder March 12, 1946 in Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg) is a German guitarist. His singles "Verde" and "Le rêve" reached the top ten in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 1976. and number 65 in Australia in 1977. In the Netherlands, "Verde" reached number 10 in early 1977. > This article about a German musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. I hated all that stuff as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/5 "2026-08-23T18:43:16Z")
Yes, a guy I was going with in the early 80s gave me a couple of his cassettes. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/6 "2026-08-23T18:44:27Z")
This might be grist for another thread but I only recall a few artists who used TV commercials to sell their albums. Most relied on just their variety show appearances. Besides Zamfir, the other one in heavy rotation was Slim Whitman. I think both boasted having sold more records than the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/7 "2026-08-23T18:46:29Z")
He first became known for scoring the French film _Le grand homme blond avec une chaussure noire_, and then even more famous for his atmospheric score for _Picnic at Hanging Rock_. This is how I knew of him. I wasn’t watching any TV during the time period of his commercials, so did not know of that. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/8 "2026-08-23T18:47:10Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I think both boasted having sold more records than the Beatles. IIRC, the claim was that Slim Whitman sold more records than “the Beatles and Elvis _combined_.” Easy claim to make and prove, since the Beatles and Elvis never combined to record and release a single album! ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/9 "2026-08-23T18:54:42Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > ETA: there were similar guys like him who had success with playing easy listening instrumental songs on their respective instrument, like Richard Clayderman on piano or Ricky King on electric guitar, equally heavily promoted by TV commercials. Canada had “The Magic of Frank Mills”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9_1LxrwrUG8/maxresdefault.jpg "The Magic of Frank Mills LP Commercial - 1984") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_1LxrwrUG8) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/10 "2026-08-23T19:11:06Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > This might be grist for another thread but I only recall a few artists who used TV commercials to sell their albums. Ray Stevens had a long-running “order now!” ad campaign in the 90s. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/11 "2026-08-23T19:21:33Z")
My father had some of his records. I preferred James Galway and his concert flute. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/12 "2026-08-23T20:04:36Z")
Zamfir had a bit of a resurgence 20-odd years ago when [one of his tracks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsgHyzwmbnQ) had a major presence on the _Kill Bill_ soundtrack. > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > ETA: there were similar guys like him who had success with playing easy listening instrumental songs on their respective instrument, like Richard Clayderman on piano or Ricky King on electric guitar, equally heavily promoted by TV commercials. And Yanni! ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/13 "2026-08-23T20:06:34Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > And Yanni! He came a bit later, but I would also even put Kenny G in that category. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/14 "2026-08-23T20:15:11Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > And Yanni! I always confuse him with Laurel. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/15 "2026-08-23T20:16:11Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > He came a bit later, but I would also even put Kenny G in that category. Kenny G of course was a saxophonist, so a different genre than Zamfir. I liked Kenny G, but my main recollection of him is a Christmas album he put out called “Miracles: The Holiday Album” just before Christmas, 1994. I think it’s really beautiful, but my perceptions may be biased because I associate it with such lovely nostalgic memories. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/16 "2026-08-23T20:18:49Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Kenny G of course was a saxophonist, so a different genre than Zamfir. Of course, but I meant guys who play a specific instrument (no matter which), record only instrumentals and can be called easy listening. With being heavily advertised on TV as a bonus. That was my category. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/17 "2026-08-23T20:23:47Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Laurel. She was the one who wore the black and blue dress, right? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/18 "2026-08-23T20:37:04Z")
As a kid, I remember thinking (after the hundredth time hearing "Zamfir… the _Undisputed Master of the Pan Flute!"),_ that it’s not like he had a lot of competition. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/19 "2026-08-23T20:41:27Z")
> [@digs](#): > > that it’s not like he had a lot of competition. Well, in Germany he had, all those busking Peruvian bands in German streets that _always_ had a pan flutist. And in comparison, most of them didn’t play any worse than Gheorge Zamfir. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2026, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510/20 "2026-08-23T20:50:44Z")
My cousin talks about how when his mother’s car was broken into, she was mostly upset that her Roger Whitaker cassettes were stolen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-zamfir/1032510.md?page=2)