Zdenko Runjić was born on October 26, 1942, in Garčin and was a Croatian composer of popular music of the 20th century. He began his career by drawing inspiration from Dalmatian folk traditions. His prolific songwriting led to a breakthrough at the Split Music Festival. Notable albums include Zlatni Snovi (1972) and Skalinada (1978). Runjić collaborated with musicians such as Oliver Dragojević, Doris Dragović, and Meri Cetinić, writing around 700 songs that sold several million copies. In 1993, he founded the Melodije Hrvatskog Jadrana festival. He died on October 27, 2004, in Krapinske Toplice from a stroke while recovering from a heart attack.
