German pop singer and actor Fred Bertelman died at his home in Berg, Bavaria, Germany. He was 88. Bertelmann sold over 40 million records. His super hit was "Der lachende Vagabund" made in 1957. "The song made me rich and famous." Bertelman once said in an interview. The record sold
five million copies. The song was an
integral part of his stage performances and led to his making films, records and other
musical performances in the United States possible. Other successful titles
were "In Hamburg sind die Nächte lang", "Arrivederci Roma"
und "Wenn es Nacht wird in Montana".
Bertelmann was one of the most successful German pop
artist in the fifties and sixties. Born in Duisburg, the singer last lived in
Berg am Starnberger See. He was married to the former television presenter and
actress Ruth Kappelsberger since 1966. In the course of his career Bertelsmann
sold more than 40 million records. Many of his tunes have become standards.
Decisive in his formative were his experiences as an American
prisoner of war. There Bertelmann learned of the swing music of Glenn Miller.
"The Americans have given us music and musical instruments. Imprisonment
was forever the foundation of everything," Bertelmann once said .
After the return from captivity Bertelmann started a band
and then performed as a singer with a Swedish orchestra. In order to finance
his vocal studies, he played Dixie and Swing music in Nuremberg bars.
Fred appeared and performed in the 1966 Euro-western musical "A Fistful of Songs" and sang the song “Wenn ich dich anseh”.
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