This man is an icon, one of the greatest entertainers of our time, a master of his genre and – though you might not have guessed it – Austrian! There is no doubt that Udo Jürgens has become a legend in his lifetime with countless hits such as the immortal 'Aber bitte mit Sahne' (literally 'With whipped cream, please') or 'Ich war noch niemals in New York' ('I’ve never been to New York'). Udo Jürgens is a singer, composer and author, who, even after a career spanning more than 50 years, still succeeds in arousing excited enthusiasm in the audience – even when wearing a bath robe.

Udo Jürgens, born Udo Jürgen Bockelmann on 30 September 1934 in the Carinthian capital of Klagenfurt, simply can’t be pigeonholed: whether ballads or speedy, bombastic dance music – with his mix of German chansons and schlager, in which he also likes to incorporate disco sound, rock, reggae or even country, he definitely created his very own style. Some songs and lyrics of the internationally acclaimed star even have become part of the cultural heritage of some countries, e. g. the translated version of 'Griechischer Wein' ('Greek Wine') is now almost the national anthem of Greece.

Besides numerous songs on love, Udo Jürgens also dealt with social issues, taking a clear stand on topics ranging from overpopulation, politics, decadence and affluence to environmental problems and drugs. This did not always earn him approval, yet distinguishes him from most of his performer colleagues. Udo Jürgens has not only been a successful singer; he is also a composer and wrote world hits for the likes of Shirley Bassey, Matt Monroe, Sarah Vaughn or Quincy Jones.

 

Udo Jürgens is an artist who has continually reinvented himself through the decades – without betraying his signature style. Whether in sold-out concert halls or with online gigs just for Internet viewers: his charisma and dazzling personality never fail to impress. Unique in the German-speaking record industry is his lifetime record contract.

Udo Jürgens, however, struggled hard to get his singing career off the ground. In fact, in the early 50s, despite his undeniable musical talent, his first attempts on the stage flopped. Maybe this was due to his stage name Udo Bolan, as, shortly after his 'transformation' into Udo Jürgens, his career finally took off. The great breakthrough eventually came in 1966 when he won the Eurovision Song Contest with his contribution 'Merci Chèri' in Luxembourg.

In the 70s and 80s the career of the son of a German mother and a Russian father flourished. In 1981, for instance, he was the German artist most played by German radio stations. Among his many successes one probably delighted him particularly: in the mid-90s he received the country’s highest honor, the 'Grand medal for merits to the Republic of Austria'.

His women may not be 17-year-old blonds anymore as the title of one of his songs suggests ('Siebzehn Jahr, blondes Haar' - Seventeen years, blond hair'), but even with his more than 66 years ('Mit 66 Jahren' - 'With 66 years') Udo Jürgens enjoys life to the full. Last year in September, the grand charmer celebrated his 70th birthday with an emotional gala TV show and concluded the year 2004 as one of his most successful years in his long career. Jürgens also wrote a book entitled 'Der Mann mit dem Fagott' ('The Man with the Bassoon'), an autobiographical novel, that remained on bestseller lists for a long time.

However, even at 70, a man like Udo Jürgens simply doesn’t think of retiring – he lives for the stage and his fans, which he will prove once more this summer on his solo tour. And again the audience will sing along, once again losing their hearts to this fascinating entertainer...