Jiří Valenta, Longtime Keyboardist for Olympic, Dies at 66

Jiří Valenta, a former keyboardist for the iconic Czech band Olympic, has died at the age of 66. The band announced his passing on Wednesday evening, February 25, 2026, on their Facebook page ([1]), expressing deep sorrow over the loss of the respected musician.

A Three-Decade Tenure with Olympic

Valenta was a member of Olympic from 1986 to 2020, performing hundreds of concerts both in the Czech Republic and internationally ([2]), ([3]). The band described him as a prominent and respected figure, noting the profound impact of his untimely death.

Early Career and Joining Olympic

Before joining Olympic, Valenta played with several other bands, including Capitol, Kentaur, Karamel, and Framus 5 ([4]). He recalled being invited to an audition by Olympic after they saw him performing with Karamel, ultimately joining the group at the end of 1985 or the beginning of 1986 ([3]).

Health-Related Departure and Legacy

Valenta left Olympic in 2020 due to health issues ([2]), ([3]), marking the end of a 34-year collaboration. He openly explained his decision, citing both his health and burnout, but expressed hope to return to music when his health improved ([3]).

Olympic’s History

Olympic was founded in 1962 under the name Karkulka and later renamed after a club in Prague’s Spálená Street. The band debuted in 1968 with the album Želva, considered the first Czech beat long-playing record ([2]).

Notable Albums

During his time with Olympic, Valenta contributed to numerous albums, including Když ti svítí zelená (1988), O, jé (1990), Jako za mlada (1992), Unplugged (1995), Karavana (1999), Sopka (2007), the Souhvězdí trilogy (2013–2015), and Trilobit (2018) ([3]).