The Damirchidam village is set in the foothills of Goyche.

At that time, such masters of voice,

professionally performing ashygs and folk poets like Ag Ashyg, Ashyg Aly, Ashyg Alasgar, poet
Mammadhuseyn, Ashyg Musa, Zodlu Ashyg Abdulla, Ashyg Najaf, Ashyg Talyb, Ashyg Basti and others
used to come quite often to the estate of Mashadi Mammadaly oğlu Agdabanly Gurban who was the
heir of the great family of Miskin Abdal. They have been singing Divani and Duvaggapma songs at
wedding ceremonies of brave sons and generous daughters of the Demirchidamlylars by giving their
blessings for family luck.

Ashyg Shamshir Gurban oğlu Gojayev was born on 15 March 1893 in the Demirchidam village of the
Kalbajar district and passed away in 1980. Born to the family of poet Agdabanly Gurban, this
youngster had, since his teens, admired the performance of the greatest masters of saz and poetry
and soon became the young and active member of the poets’ community called the Gurban Spring
Majlis. In the short period of time, this performer who gained the title of Dedelik in Ozan-Ashyg art of
singing has become known also as the poet with a great creative capacity and a famous person of
literature.

His knowledge and skills, ability of singing ashyg songs, dedication to this art and professionalism
have made the poetic community to give a pen name of Dede of Ashygs by placing it always before
his real name. Such pen names are usually given to professional performers or ashygs by the greatest
and sage minds of his own people.

This name was given to Ashyg Shamshir by the big pool of writers, intellectuals, wise men, elders and
ashyg art amateurs after the 50-ies of last century.

Following books published in the past have becomes the favorites of readers: Goshmalar in 1971;
Selected writings in 1974; Mountain Song in 1978, Verses in 1980, Oyudlar in 1996 and Dede Shamshir
as Known by People in 2000. These are just a few examples of his activities. To our regrets, Armenian
vandals while committing the second Khojaly tragedy in Agdaban have put fire to the writings of
Ashyg Shamshir and his father of Agdabanly Gurban. Dede Shamshir authors also several destans.
Indeed, such destans as Jalal and Minaya, Misir and Senem, Shamshir and Sanubar are among the
greatest ones that brought this professional man the popularity.

During 1943-44, he wrote the Polad play and put on stage the same name destan in Asli and Karam
play as his second writing. In the 50-ies, the musicologist Amina Eldarova has recorded almost 75
ashyg songs of Ashyg Shamshir. In recognition of his services in saz singing art, Ashyg Shamshir has
gained the honorary art specialist title in 1957.

I was born in one thousand eight hundred ninety three,

This is where my age starts,
Murov, Goshgar, Kapaz, Chilgaz and Delidag –
These mountains became my homeland