Yuval Banai

Yuval Banay
Banay in concert, 2006
Background information
Birth name	Yuval Banay
Born	(1962-06-09) June 9, 1962 (age 54) Tel Aviv, Israel
Origin	Israel
Genres	Pop, Rock, Folk
Occupation(s)	Musician, Singer, Composer
Instruments	Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Years active	1984-present
Labels	Hed Arzi, Helicon, 8th Note
Associated acts	Mashina

Yuval Banay (Hebrew: יוּבַל בַּנַאי‎; born June 9, 1962) is an Israeli musician, best known as the lead singer of the influential Israeli pop rock band Mashina.

Yuval was born on June 9, 1962 in Tel-Aviv to Yossi and Ilana Banai. He was one of the more prominent members of the Banai family, which includes many noted entertainers, among them Yuval Banay's uncles Gavri, Ya'akov and Haim (actors) and Yitzhak Banai (judge); his cousins Ehud, Uri, Me'ir, and Eviatar, all of whom have found success as musicians, and Orna, an actress and comedian.

He married actress Orly Silbersatz in 1987, and they had three children together before divorcing in 2007. After divorcing her, Banay met screenwriter and novelist Amalia Rosenblum, his partner since then. The couple have a child together, Aaron Banay, born February 2013.

Banay served in the Artillery Corps of the Israel Defense Forces during the 1982 Lebanon War. While in the military, he met guitarist Shlomi Braha, with whom he formed a band. The two went in different directions after their military service ended, with Banay forming the band Shlom Ha-Tzibur ("Public Safety"). In 1984, he and Braha decided to form a new band, which they called Mashina. They released their debut album in 1985. Over the next decade, Mashina released several successful albums.

In May 1995 the group disbanded after a series of four farewell shows. Banay went on to release several solo albums: "Yuval Banay" (1997), "Rashi Dub" (1999) (produced by bass player Yossi Fine), and "Nish'ar BaMakom" ("Staying Put") (2001). Mashina reformed in 2003, and in 2005 they released an album entitled "Futuristic Romance" ("romantica atidanit"). In 2008, Banay released another solo album, "Me'ever Le'harim" ("Over the Mountains"), produced by alt-folk singer Allan Moon.