Htoo Eain Thin (; ; born Kyaw Myint Lwin (, ); 1 July 1963 – 14 August 2004) was one of the most popular and respected Burmese singer-songwriters. He brought a new style of pop rock music to the Burmese music scene in mid-1980s, and was popular till his death in 2004. He released 14 solo albums in his 18-year career. His songs remain Burmese standards and his premature death is still mourned by millions of fans. Background Htoo Eain Thin was born on 1 July 1963 in Pathein in the Irrawaddy Division to a Burman father (Tun Myint) and a Mon mother (Mya Yin). He graduated from Basic Education High School No. 3 Pathein in 1979, and attended Pathein Regional College for two years. In 1981, his entire family moved to Mawlamyaing, and he enrolled in a correspondence course at the University of Mawlamyine, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1984. After graduation, he studied formal music education under a well known music instructor Aung Soe (KC Francis). Htoo Eain Thin played the guitar, the bass guitar, the piano, the harmonica and the drums. Musical career Htoo Eain Thin is widely remembered for his heart-felt songs with his own original music and lyrics. Being an "original" songwriter means a lot in Myanmar. When he released his first album Naryi Baw Mha Myet-Yay Zet Mya (Tear Drops on the Clock) in 1986, the Burmese pop music scene was (and still to a lesser extent is) dominated by Burmese covers of Western pop and country music—known locally as "copies". To be sure, Htoo Eain Thin's musical style was heavily influenced by Western jazz, rock-and-roll and pop music. Some critics complained that his sound was still too "derivative" or "emulative", comparing his compositions and arrangements to those of the Bee Gees or the Beatles. But it was his ability to bring Burmese soulfulness (some would say wailing quality) to his lyrics and combine it with Western-fused arrangements that proved ever so popular with generations of Burmese—male and female alike. His style was unique, even compared to that of other contemporary singer-songwriters like Soe Lwin Lwin and Kaiser. Like most Burmese songs, many of his songs are about love and heart-ache, only areas that could safely pass through draconian Burmese media censors, which did not (and still don't) tolerate even a hint of social commentary. His 1991 ode Yazawin