Born Jürgen Udo
Bockelmann on September 30, 1934 in Schloß Ottmanach, Carinthia, Austria. He
was an Austrian-Swiss composer and singer of popular music whose career spanned
over fifty years. He won the Eurovision Song Contest 1966 for Austria, composed
close to 1,000 songs, and sold over 100 million records. In 2007 he additionally
obtained Swiss citizenship.
In 1952 Udo
Bolan, as he was called then, formed the Udo Bolan Quartet In Klagenfurt of
Austria appearing regularly at the Café Obelisk in Klagenfurt with Englishman
Johnny Richards on drums, Klaus Behmel on guitar and Bruno Geiger on Bass. The
quartet played regularly at various dance and jazz venues and also broadcast on
Radio Alpenland and the British Forces Radio network.
In 1950, he won a
composer contest organized by Austria's public broadcasting channel ORF with
the song "Je t'aime". He wrote the 1961 worldwide hit "Reach for
the Stars", sung by Shirley Bassey.
He is credited
with broadening German-language pop music beyond the traditional postwar
"Schlager" in the 1950s by infusing it with a modern pop appeal and
French chanson style. His compositions and arrangements attracted fans of all
ages. Until his death at age 80 he continued to fill venues in Germany,
Austria, and Switzerland.
JURGENS, Udo (aka Udo Bolan) (Udo Jürgen Bockelmann)
[9/30/1934, Schloß Ottmanach, Carinthia, Austria -12/21/2014, Münsterlingen, Switzerland (heart failure)] –
composer, musician (piano), singer, nephew of politician Werner Bockelmann
[1907-1968], married to model Erika Meier (1964–1989) father of actor, singer,
DJ John Jürgens [1964- ], actress Jenny Jürgens [1967- ], father of psychologist Sonja Lehrke
[1966- ] with Ursula Lehrke, father of
actress Gloria Burda [1994- ] with
judge Sabrina Burda [1974- ] married
to Corinna Reinhold (1999–2006), founded the Udo Bolan Quartet.
Montana Trap –
1975 (co)
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