Classic Vladimír Merta debut gets fresh vinyl release 50 years later

Exactly 50 years ago, Vladimír Merta, one of the country’s most respected singer-songwriters and an excellent guitarist, released his debut album called Ballades de Prague. To mark the anniversary, the artist has launched a limited edition of the record on vinyl. It was presented at a concert at Prague’s Malostranská Beseda this Saturday.

Photo: Galén publishing

Vladimír Merta’s debut album, Ballades de Prague, was released in January 1969 in Paris, where he studied at the time. The LP originated by coincidence, when the head of a French recording company happened to hear Merta signing and offered him a contract.

Although there were plans to release it also in his home country, the communist authorities were not inclined towards the idea. Indeed, the semi-official musician was only allowed to launch his first Czechoslovak album in 1978 and his second album was only issued after the fall to the Iron Curtain.