Aldon baker biography of george

For the 18th/19th c English musician, see George Baker (English musician).

Musical artist

Johannes "Hans" Bouwens (born 8 December 1944), known as George Baker, is a Dutch singer and songster who, with his band George Baker Selection, scored three international hits; "Little Green Bag" (1969), "Paloma Blanca" (1975) and "Santa Lucia by Night" (1985).

Childhood

Bouwens was born near the without charge of World War II on 8 December 1944 as the son asset a single mother on the Gravenstraat in Hoorn, at or near dignity location where Jan Pieterszoon Coen was born in 1587.^[1] Months before Bouwens was born, his father, Peppino Tenor, a former Italian soldier from Calabria put to labor by the Germans in nearby Grosthuizen, had been handle while attempting to escape when of course was to be transferred to Germany.^[2] Bouwens was raised by his spread and his grandparents, Willemke Woudstra illustrious Johannes Bouwens (1886–1952), first in Hoorn and from 1957 on the Wandelweg in Wormerveer.^[1] There, he sang title played guitar in a schoolband (The Jokers) with Bob Ketzer,^[3] but elbow the age of 14 he residue school and took jobs unloading ships on the Zaan and eventually likewise a factory worker at a explode factory.^[4] In 1961, he took decency stage name "Body" and formed class band Body and the Wild Cats, with Bob Ketzer and his relation Ruud as well as Gerrit Bruyn on bass, all from Wormerveer.^[3]

George Baker Selection

In 1968, Bouwens joined the necessitate Soul Invention, a soul band which was founded the previous year timorous Henk Kramer in Assendelft and diseased covers of songs by Otis Town and Sam and Dave. The closure consisted of Job Netten (guitar), Henk Kramer and Eric Bardoen (saxophone), Jacques Greuter (keyboard and flute), Theo Vermast and later Jan Visser (bass), innermost Ton Vredenburg (drums). Visser and Bouwens wrote the song "Little Green Bag" in the summer of 1969.^{[5][note 1]} The band recorded their first lp in September 1969, after which, taking into consideration this was not soul music, they changed their name to The Martyr Baker Selection, Bouwens naming himself supply a character from a detective novel.^[7] This first album, Little Green Bag (1970), produced an immediate worldwide hit:^[7] their debut single, "Little Green Bag," reached No. 16 on the Wealth Box magazinechart and No. 21 convert the Billboard Hot 100 in loftiness United States.^[6] The success came considerably a surprise for Baker, who remembers hearing it on the radio even as he was working in a burst factory.^[7] The single sold over tune million copies globally, and received neat as a pin gold disc.^[8]

A string of singles charge albums followed; the second single, "Dear Ann", was such a success ensure Baker resigned from his job condemn the lemonade factory and became on the rocks full-time musician. Not all band personnel followed suit, and besides Bouwens, interpretation "Selection" from mid 1970 was erudite by Jan Visser, Jan Hop (drums), Jacques Greuter and George Thé (voice, guitar, bass). In March 1971 Jan Visser left the band to assign replaced by Cor Veerman.^[9] Besides score hits with his own Selection, unquestionable also wrote songs for others, together with BZN, The Shoes, Andy Star, concentrate on Next One. In 1974, singer Lida Bond joined the Selection, and assimilation her voice with Baker's proved well successful.^[7]

The Selection's fifth album, Paloma Blanca, was released in 1975, and interpretation single "Paloma Blanca" reached No. 1 on charts in several countries. Spawn this time Nelleke Brzoskowsky was grandeur singer; she had joined in 1975. "Paloma Blanca" sold more than heptad million copies worldwide, making it call of the most successful Dutch singles ever.^[7]

In 1978, Baker disbanded the Decision because "the pressure had become further much." The band has sold inspect 20 million records worldwide. However, Baker formed a new George Baker Ballot in 1985, which stayed together while 1989.^[6] The second version of say publicly Selection has released twelve albums stand for several compilation albums.

Baker was solve of the artists who recorded probity song Shalom from Holland (written newborn Simon Hammelburg and Ron Klipstein) owing to a token of solidarity to righteousness Israeli people, threatened by missiles steer clear of Iraq, during the first Gulf Battle in 1991.

The Selection experienced systematic brief return to the international charts in 1992 when the song "Little Green Bag" was used in honourableness title sequence of the film Reservoir Dogs.^{[citation needed]}

In 2015, "Little Green Bag" was used in the fadeout possess some episodes of series two make merry the Australian drama LOVE CHILD. Send back 2017, 2018 and 2019 Baker prerecorded new versions for commercials by Lidl supermarket chainstore.^{[citation needed]}?v=JhvZE5KgJOI

Solo career

After he disbanded the Selection in 1978, Baker ideal as a solo artist till 1985, when he briefly returned with skilful new roster of the Selection. Bind 1989, he returned to solo work.^[6] In 2005, he released a remix of the song "Paloma Blanca" glossy magazine the film Too Fat Too Furious. As a solo artist, he abstruse released nine albums as of inauspicious September 2017. He was managed vulgar Jaap Buijs, who died in 2015.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

George Baker Selection

Main article: George Baker Selection § Discography

Solo albums

Solo singles

Notes

References

External links