Johnny Lion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnny Lion
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Johnny Lion and Sophie van Kleef (1966)
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John van Leeuwarden |
| Also known as | Johnny Lion |
| Born | 4 July 1941 The Hague, Netherlands |
| Died | 31 January 2019 (aged 77) Breda, Netherlands |
| Labels | Philips Records, EMI |
| Associated acts | The Jumping Jewels, Rob de Nijs, Ramses Shaffy |
John van Leeuwarden (born July 4, 1941 – died January 31, 2019), known as Johnny Lion, was a famous Dutch singer. He was also a journalist and an actor. His most popular song as a solo artist was "Sophietje". He also sang with a band called The Jumping Jewels. With them, he had hit songs like "Wheels" and "Africa".
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Johnny Lion's Music Journey
Starting with The Jumping Jewels
Johnny Lion began his music career in 1959. He was the singer for a band first called Johnny and his Jewels. Later, they changed their name to The Jumping Jewels. This band had a number-one hit song in the Netherlands. It was an instrumental song called "Wheels" in 1961. They also had other popular songs. "Africa" reached number 8 in 1963. "Irish Washerwoman" and "Java" reached number 9 in 1964.
His Solo Career
In 1965, Johnny Lion left The Jumping Jewels. He wanted to focus on singing by himself. He had two big hit songs on his own. "Sophietje" reached number 5 in 1965. "Tjingeling" reached number 14 in 1966. The song "Sophietje" was a Dutch version of a Swedish song. It was written for his girlfriend at the time, Sophie van Kleef. He had two more smaller hits in the 1980s. One was the main song for the 1983 film Brandende liefde. The other was "Alleen in Dallas" in 1988.
Johnny Lion also worked with another Dutch artist, Rob de Nijs. They performed together in Circus Boltini.
Johnny Lion as a Journalist
In the 1990s, Johnny Lion also worked as a writer. He wrote articles for a weekly magazine called Panorama. These articles were like columns, sharing his thoughts and stories.
Johnny Lion's Acting Roles
Besides singing and writing, Johnny Lion also acted in movies. In 1998, he appeared in a film called Siberia. Later, in 2003, he had a small part in the movie Van God Los.
His Personal Life
Johnny Lion was married two times during his life. In his later years, he faced some health challenges. He passed away in January 2019.
