Daw Mar Mar Aye, one of the veteran vocalists of Myanmar classical music, has passed away in the United States, according to her communities on social media.

A person close to Daw Mar Mar Aye wrote on social media, “It is with great sadness that we inform you that the great mother of Myanmar classical music, Daw Mar Mar Aye, passed away at 6:28 pm of January 9 at her home in Fort Wayne.”

Daw Mar Mar Aye, who lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana, died at 5:58 a.m. on January 9 in Myanmar Standard time. She was 81 years old and suffered from anemia.

Daw Mar Mar Aye was born in Shan Gone ward in Myaungmya Township, Ayeyawady Region on July 26, 1942. Her father, U Aye, was a flute (Hne) musician and her mother Daw Than Hnit was a singer with the stage name Myaungmya Than. She began singing at the age of 3 in the “Modern History Theater Group”. She started broadcasting at the age of 8.

She sang classical songs in various amateur music troupes under different names, such as Than Than Myaint, Myint Myint Aye, and Mar Mar Aye. She became famous in 1955 with the song “Playing on the Rainbow” (That Tant Par Mae Ka Sar Mae).

She also won the first prizes in the multi-school poetry competition for three consecutive years and was awarded the pennant award in 1956, 57 and 58. She wrote poems and songs under the pen name “Lay Ma”.

She worked as an assistant broadcaster at the Myanma Radio since 1961. She was an executive member of Myanmar’s Modern Music Council and a committee member of Git Pada Magazine.

She also acted in the movies “Emerald Sound (Mya Chu Than), I love him and Mandali”.