Albert West

Albert West (1975)

CBS - Single - record Ginny Come Lately

Albert West , actually Albertus Petrus Enricus Gerardus Westelaken , (born September 2, 1949 in 's-Hertogenbosch , † June 4, 2015 in Tilburg ) was a Dutch pop singer and music producer .

biography

In the late 1960s and early 1970s Albert West was the singer in The Shuffles . This had its breakthrough in 1969 with Cha La La, I Need You . The song was a big hit in the Netherlands and reached number two on the charts . The German version of the song, Sha La La I Love You , was the Flippers second big hit in 1970 .

A few more hits such as Bitter Tears , Without You and The Way Music Goes followed in 1970, then West started a solo career in 1972. He immediately had a great international hit with his version of Ginny Come Lately , originally by Brian Hyland (1962). In Germany he reached number 13 on the charts , in his home country number 4 and in Austria the song was even number 1 for three months . In Austria, West was initially the most successful. The follow-up singles Tell Laura I Love Her , originally by Ray Peterson (1960), and Sheila also peaked at the top of the charts in 1974 , while interest in Germany quickly declined. Even recordings in German did not change that. After that he was only successful in the Netherlands.

In addition to other cover recordings, he also took part in the national preliminary round of the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest with Ik heb geen geld voor de trein , but failed because of the later Grand Prix winner Teach-In . The song later appeared as a single as You and Me . Between 1973 and 1977 West had twelve top 30 hits in the Nederlandse Top 40 . The search for his own style in the following years, in which he continued to publish regularly, was not rewarded with higher placements.

In the mid-1980s, the Dutchman was also successful as a producer of the "BB Band". And finally he started several projects with international artists. The first, the collaboration with Albert Hammond , with whose biggest hit Free Electric Band he was still fighting for the chart positions in 1973, was the most successful. The single Give a Little Love reached number 6 in the Netherlands. The song was written by Hammond and successful composer Diane Warren . The joint album Hammond & West came to number 4 in the album charts and was the most successful in West's career. The 1988 album West & Friends was also very successful , on which he sang together with artists such as Brian Hyland, Helen Shapiro and Tony Christie . It was awarded gold .

West's television career began in the 1990s. He moderated game shows and events and from 1995 he had a broadcast of Dutch music with Op Nieuwe Toeren . In 1998 he celebrated his 35th anniversary as a musician on a television show.

In 2003 Albert West was named Ridder in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau for his musical work as well as his commitment to charity projects and aid organizations.

After twelve years of abstinence from the charts, he last had a success in 2005 with the title Amarillo , a remix of his recording of the Tony Christie hit, which, with the support of a beer commercial, made it to number 13 in the Dutch charts.

In 2012 Albert West suffered a spinal cord infarction from which he did not fully recover. In 2015 he died at the age of 65 as a result of a bicycle accident.

West was married and had two children.

Discography

Studio albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)	Remarks
		NL
1981	A Part of Me CNR 655.128	NL37 (1 week) NL	First published: September 1981 Producer: Martin Duiser
1986	Hammond & West K-tel 227	NL4 (19 weeks) NL	First published: September 1986 with Albert Hammond
1988	West & Friends Arcade 3290	NL5 (10 weeks) NL	First published: July 1988 Producer: Piet Souer

More studio albums

• 1974: First Album ( Embassy 31053)
• 1975: Portrait ( CBS 80616)
• 1975: Golden Country Hits / Albert West op z'n best (CBS 80979/13137)
• 1976: My Dear Rose (CBS 81120)
• 1976: Memory of Life (CBS 81256)
• 1979: Hand in Hand ( Philips 6423 132)
• 1986: Albert West (CNR 658.017)
• 1991: Endless Summernights ( Polydor 511 356)
• 1995: Alleen voor jou (United Talent 403032)

Compilations

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)	Remarks
		NL
1989	25 years Albert West Arcade 4040	NL80 (4 weeks) NL	First published: October 1989
1993	1968–1993: 25 Years of Hits RPC Entertainment 9351	NL52 (7 weeks) NL	First release: March 1993 double album

More compilations

• 1973: Golden Best of Albert West (CBS 65873)
• 1974: More Golden Best of Albert West (CBS 80415)
• 1978: 20 Greatest Hits (CBS 81627)
• 1988: Greatest Hits ( Columbia 462649; released May 29)
• 1991: The Very Best Of (Hammond, West & Friends; Diamond 5770)
• 1994: More Greatest Hits (Columbia 477870; released October 21)
• 1999: 35 jaar artiest 1964–1999 (2 CDs; Arcade 110722)
• 2003: Songs I Love to Share (Visco 3013)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
		DE	AT	NL
1973	Ginny Come Lately Portrait	DE13 (9 weeks) DE	AT1 (24 weeks) AT	NL4 (11 weeks) NL	First publication: May 1973 Authors: Gary Gelp, Peter Udell Original: Brian Hyland ; 1962
	Tell Laura I Love Her Portrait	DE49 (1 week) DE	AT1 (16 weeks) AT	NL8 (8 weeks) NL	First published: August 1973 Authors: Ben Raleigh, Jeff Barry Original: Ray Peterson , 1960
	Put Your Head on My Shoulder Portrait	-	-	NL9 (9 weeks) NL	First published: November 1973 Author and original: Paul Anka
1974	Just One of Life's Little Tragedies First Album	-	-	NL30 (3 weeks) NL	First published: April 1974 Authors: Albert West, JJ Muso, Job Maarse
	Sheila Golden Best of Albert West	-	AT1 (20 weeks) AT	-	First published: May 1974 Author and original: Tommy Roe , 1960
	It Keeps Right on a Hurtin ' Portrait	-	-	NL30 (3 weeks) NL	First published: July 1974 Author: Johnny Tillotson Original: Boots Randolph , 1960
	Simone portrait	-	-	NL15 (6 weeks) NL	First published: October 1974 Authors / Original: England Dan & John Ford Coley, 1972
1975	You and Me Portrait	-	-	NL10 (8 weeks) NL	First published: February 1975 Authors: Jacques Zwart, Job Maarse
	For the Good Times My Dear Rose	-	-	NL11 (6 weeks) NL	First published: May 1975 Author: Kris Kristofferson Original: Bill Nash, 1968
	My Dear Rose My Dear Rose	-	-	NL16 (5 weeks) NL	First publication: October 1975 Authors: Albert Hammond , Peter Philbin
1976	I Love You Baby 20 Greatest Hits	-	-	NL15 (6 weeks) NL	First published: March 1976 Author and original: Paul Anka
	Memory of Life Memory of Life	-	-	NL11 (7 weeks) NL	First publication: August 1976 Author: Hans Vermeulen
1977	Listen to 20 Greatest Hits	-	-	NL26 (5 weeks) NL	First published: December 1976 Authors: Albert West, JJ Muso
1980	Girls and Cadillacs	-	-	NL23 (5 weeks) NL	First published: May 1980 Authors: Arnie Treffers, Tony Britnell
1981	Don't Say You Leave This Summer A Part of Me	-	-	NL26 (5 weeks) NL	First published: July 1981 Author: Gregory Elias
1984	Hot Havana Nights Albert West	-	-	NL38 (3 weeks) NL	First publication: September 1984 Author: unknown
1985	Munich Night Albert West	-	-	NL33 (4 weeks) NL	First published: July 1985 Author: Chris Andrews
1986	Give a Little Love Hammond and West	DE40 (9 weeks) DE	-	NL6 (10 weeks) NL	First published: August 1986 with Albert Hammond and the Junior Choir of the British School Authors: Diane Warren , Albert Hammond
1993	Mockin 'Bird Hill 1968-1993: 25 Years of Hits	-	-	NL24 (5 weeks) NL	First published: January 1993 Author: Vaughn Horton Original: Beaver Valley Sweethearts & Pinetoppers, 1949
2005	Amarillo (Remix)	-	-	NL13 (6 weeks) NL	First published: August 2005 Authors: Neil Sedaka , Howard Greenfield Original: Tony Christie , 1971

More singles

• 1972: Sunday
• 1972: Gonna Meet My Girl (Sha-La-La)
• 1973: Kisses in the Moonlight (Ginny Come Lately)
• 1973: With a Kiss ( Sealed with a Kiss )
• 1974: Malano
• 1974: Drown Me
• 1975: Homesickness for yesterday is homesickness for you ...
• 1977: 9,999,999 tears
• 1978: Broken White Line
• 1979: I Think I'm Gonna Love You Again
• 1979: hand in hand
• 1979: Wheels Turn Pictures
• 1980: Together We Rock, Together We'll Roll
• 1981: A Voice in the Wilderness
• 1982: Love Is Sweeter Than Wine
• 1982: Magical
• 1982: Danny Boy
• 1982: You (You Are the Only One)
• 1983: Treat Me Gently in the Morning
• 1983: Love Hangs by a Thread
• 1985: Dance On Little Girl
• 1986: Tears
• 1986: Air Disaster (with Albert Hammond)
• 1987: We Belong Together (with Albert Hammond)
• 1987: Secrets of the Night (with Albert Hammond)
• 1988: Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (with Brian Hyland )
• 1988: Is This the Way to Amarillo? (with Tony Christie )
• 1989: There May Be (De repente el amor) (with Niki)
• 1991: Slow River
• 1991: Endless Summernight
• 1992: Dancing in the Moonlight
• 1992: Cha La La I Need You
• 1993: Whether La Di, Whether La Da
• 1995: The Future Starts Today (with The Dutch Scouts Choir)
• 1996: In de zon
• 1996: Ik ga met je mee
• 1998: Ay no digas
• 2003: Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (with band Zonder Banaan)
• 2005: Knock 3 Times

swell

1. ↑ DUTCH NATIONAL FINAL 1975. Accessed May 26, 2020 . 
2. ^ Royal Volume for Albert West at omroepbrabant.nl, accessed on June 13, 2019.
3. ↑ Singer Albert West (65) died as a result of a bicycle accident at nu.nl/muziek, accessed on June 13, 2019.
4. ↑ ^{a b c} Chart sources: DE1 DE2 AT NL (singles) NL (albums)

Web links

Commons : Albert West  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official website (Dutch)
• Albert West at Discogs (English)
• Literature by and about Albert West in the catalog of the German National Library
• Albert West in the Internet Movie Database }
• Video with Ik heb geen geld voor de trein (Grand Prix qualification)