While there were many singers in the Soviet Union, songwriters were unusual. Georgian musician Inola Gurgulia was one of these exceptions. Wife of composer Mikheil Shugliashvili, she sang in the Georgian language about peace and human kindness — which was enough for her to be labeled anti-Soviet and be prevented from performing at major venues. In Georgia her songs have the status of folk songs that when sung in little backstreet cafes or on TV talent shows still move people to the point of tears. In this beleaguered country her songs are considered symbols of freedom. Gurgulia’s son, musicologist David Shugliashvili, is specialized in the rich vocal traditions of Georgian folk music. As a singer, he and his wife, Tamuna Tolordava, keep the songs of Inola Gurgulia alive.