André Hazes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
André Hazes
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André Hazes in 1988
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | André Gerardus Hazes |
| Also known as | Dré Hazes |
| Born | 30 June 1951 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Origin | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Died | 23 September 2004 (aged 53) Woerden, Netherlands |
| Genres | Levenslied |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1959, 1976–1977, 1979–2004 |
| Labels | EMI |
André Gerardus Hazes (born June 30, 1951 – died September 23, 2004) was a very popular Dutch singer and actor. He recorded many albums and singles during his career. His music is still well-known in the Netherlands and Flanders, famous for its emotional and simple lyrics.
Some of his biggest hits include Eenzame kerst (1976), Een beetje verliefd (1981), Ik meen 't (1985), Wij houden van Oranje (1988), Bloed, zweet en tranen (2002), and Zij gelooft in mij (first released in 1981, then again in 1999 and 2004). He also had a hit with Blijf bij mij (2007), a song he sang with Gerard Joling.
Contents
Biography
Early Life
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André Hazes was born in 1951 in the De Pijp area of Amsterdam. When he was eight, a comedian named Johnny Kraaykamp discovered him at the Albert Cuyp Market. André then appeared on a TV show called Weekendshow in 1959. He sang a song in fake Italian called "Piove."
He released two singles, "Droomschip" and "Juanita." However, these songs did not lead to a music career right away.
Starting His Music Career
Before becoming a full-time singer, André Hazes worked many different jobs. He was a delivery boy, a chimney sweep, and even a disc jockey. He became known as a singing barman in a café in Amsterdam.
In 1976, he wrote a song called "Eenzame Kerst" ("Lonely Christmas"). It was about a prisoner's lonely Christmas. He hoped singer Willy Alberti would record it, but Alberti suggested André sing it himself. The song sold 70,000 copies in just three weeks, making him a star!
In 1977, he released an album called Zo is het leven ("Such is life"). It reached the Dutch top 20. Even though some of his songs became popular later, he went back to working as a barman for a while.
Success in the 1980s
In 1980, André Hazes signed a contract with EMI, a big music company. After that, his career really took off. His songs "Een Vriend" ("A Friend") and "Een Beetje Verliefd" ("A Little in Love") both became top ten hits in 1981. His good friend Tim Griek produced these songs.
In 1981, André received the Zilveren Harp (Silver Harp) award for his album Gewoon André (Just André). This album sold 500,000 copies and became very popular. Many of its songs, including "Een Beetje Verliefd," were written by the Cat Music company. In 1982, he performed a big concert at the famous Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
André also acted in some movies and TV shows during this time. In 1982, he was in the movie De Boezemvriend. He also appeared in commercials.
In 1986, he released two albums. One album featured Italian songs, which he dedicated to the memory of Willy Alberti. The other album had Dutch versions of popular songs like "I Will Survive."
Sadly, in February 1988, his friend and producer Tim Griek died in a car accident. André dedicated his album Liefde, leven, geven to Tim's memory.
In 1988, he sang the song "Wij houden van Oranje" ("We love Orange"). "Orange" is the national color of the Netherlands and is used for their sports teams, especially the Netherlands national football team. This song became very popular when the Netherlands won the European football championships that same year.
By 1989, his career needed a boost. EMI offered him full control to make a new album. He recorded Dit is wat ik wil ("This is what I want"), which was a blues and rock 'n roll album. It featured famous rock artists like Herman Brood.
The 1990s and Beyond
In 1999, a popular documentary about André Hazes was released. It was called Zij Gelooft in Mij ("She Believes in Me"). The film showed him as a simple man who was sometimes nervous before performing. Many people felt that the film showed how true he remained to his humble beginnings. His emotional songs felt very real to his fans.
In May 2002, André briefly joined local politics. He was elected to the city council of De Ronde Venen. However, he found it difficult to attend meetings. After some time, he decided to resign from his position.
André Hazes passed away on September 23, 2004, due to heart problems.
He once said that he knew he would be on the television news when he died. This came true! Four days after he passed away, about 48,000 people attended a memorial ceremony for him at the Amsterdam Arena stadium. Over 8 million people watched the event live on TV in the Netherlands and Belgium.
On September 29, 2004, his song "Zij Gelooft in Mij" was re-released. It became his first song to reach number one on the Dutch Top 40 chart. In 2007, another one of his songs, "Blijf Bij Mij" ("Stay With Me"), also reached number one. He sang this song with Gerard Joling.
Exactly one year after his death, some of André's ashes were put into fireworks and launched into the sky by his family, as he had wished. On the same day, a statue of him was unveiled in De Pijp, Amsterdam, near where he was born.
Personal Life
André Hazes married Annie Dijkstra in 1974. They had a daughter named Nathalie in 1973. They divorced in 1979.
In 1981, André married Ellen Wolf. They had a son named Melvin in 1982. They divorced in 1990. Ellen later passed away in 2005.
In 1991, André married his third wife, Rachel van Galen. Rachel was nineteen years younger than André. They had two children: a daughter named Roxeanne (born 1993) and a son named André "Dré" Jr. (born 1994). André remained married to Rachel until his death in 2004.
After his death, André's youngest children, Roxeanne and André Jr., released an album in 2010 called "Voor Jou, Van Jou" (For You, From You). It featured many of their father's famous songs. Both Roxeanne and André Jr. have become successful singers themselves.
In 2016, André Hazes' first grandson, André III, was born. He is the son of André "Dré" Jr.
Movie
A movie about André Hazes' life was released in 2015. It is called Bloed, zweet & tranen, named after one of his songs. The film shows his life from childhood, through his most famous years, and during his last weeks.
Images for kids
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André Hazes
See also
In Spanish: André Hazes para niños
