Avo Uvezian, in his prime, photographed in the Dominican Republic in 1997. Photo Copyright Domingo Batista.

Armenian singer, songwriter, and cigar mogul Avo Uvezian passed away on Friday, March 24, 2017 at his home in Orlando, FL. He was 91.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Uvezian moved to New York City in 1947, and began a long musical career. However, Avo Uvezian made his name when he launched Avo cigars in 1988 after a distribution deal with Davidoff.

According to Cigar Afficianado, “Known in the cigar industry for his Avo brands and his sharp sense of style, Uvezian was long a vivacious part of the cigar industry, touring in support of his cigars even at 90 years old. A showman and cigar lover, it wasn’t uncommon to see Uvezian play piano at a cigar event while puffing on one of his cigars and waxing poetic about the joys of smoking.”

Avo Uvezian is survived by his wife, Nivia, his sons Robert, Jeffrey and Ronnie, and his daughter Karyn.