Ruhi Su (1912-1985) was a Turkish folk singer and saz virtuoso. Su was born in Van, an Eastern district of Turkey, but grew up in Adana, in the Southern region of Turkey. He was an Alevi. He started playing violin at the age of ten. In 1936 he graduated from the Teacher's School of Music, and in 1942 from the Opera Department of State Conservatory in Ankara. Over the following ten years he performed at the State Opera in Ankara as a bass baritone, appearing in operas such as Madame Butterfly, Fidelio, Tosca, and Rigoletto.