Eddy Christiani

Eddy Christiani (1965)

Eddy Christiani (* 21st April 1918 in The Hague ; † 24. October 2016 in Aalsmeer ) was a Dutch guitarist , singer and songwriter , both in jazz as in the popular music has become known. He was probably the first European to play the electric guitar .

Live and act

Christiani received his first guitar in 1932; since 1936 he played in the orchestra of John de Mol, which was later taken over by Frans Wouters. On May 30, 1938 he appeared as a singer and guitarist for the first time on the radio, where he interpreted Blue Moon ; he had further successes with Zonnig Madeira . In 1939 he switched to the electric guitar. In 1941 he was the first European to record a solo on the electric guitar on his song The Windmill (with the Frans Wouters orchestra). His cowboy song Ouwe Taaie Yippy Yippy Yay was banned by the German occupation censors in 1943; Before being seized by the Reich Chamber of Culture , he fled to Belgium, where he went into hiding and played with Dick Willebrandts .

After the liberation of Brussels in 1944, he appeared as a member of The Army Troupers to support the troops; after the end of the war he toured Germany with the Cold Stream Guards and appeared in the British Forces Network in 1946 before returning to the Netherlands in 1947. There he worked as a soloist with Malando and Frans Wouters. With Op De Woelige Baren , which he recorded with Vincentino in 1947, he celebrated a huge hit. In 1952 he founded his own ensemble, led by the violinist Frans Poptie. The following year he had seven hits, including Daar Bij De Waterkant (a Dutch version of Down by the Riverside ); In 1954 he received his first gold record for Zeemanshar . In 1959 he initially withdrew, but continued to work as a studio guitarist and in the Harry de Groot orchestra, influenced by Chet Atkins . In 1961 he made a comeback with Sucu Sucu . In the same year, two titles by Eddy Christiani were placed in the German single charts. Marianne reached its highest position at number 28 and stayed in the German single charts for a total of 12 weeks. With the title Bananas , it came in 25th.

In 1962, Johnny and the Hurricanes took his adaptation of You, You Are In My Heart . Since 1966 he has appeared regularly with the combo of Tonny Eyk on the popular Willem Duys television program . From 1975 to 1985 he had his own radio program Guitariteiten on Dutch radio 4. In 1981 he was the Carnival Prince of Amsterdam.

In 2007/2008 he gave his farewell tour. Since 2008 his song Rhythm for You can be heard in the video game Fallout 3 .

Prizes and awards

The readers of the magazine Muziek Parade voted him the most popular guitarist in 1963. In 1965 he received a golden harp for his life's work, in 1984 the Gouden Notekraker and in 2005 the Edison . In 1977 he was made a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau . In 1984 he received De Gouden Amsterdammer for his services to the city of Amsterdam . A guitarist award was named after him in 2006, which was awarded in the pop area until 2012. The winners were Leendert Haaksma (2006), Dany Lademacher (2007), Ad van den Berg (2008), Jan Akkerman (2009), Steve Lukather (2010), Brian May (2011) and George Kooymans (2012).

Discographic notes

• De onvergetelijke Eddy Christiani (1999)

Web links

• Entry in Musiek Encyclopedie (Dutch)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Zanger en guitarist Eddy Christiani (98) overleden . Obituary in De Telegraaf , October 25, 2016, accessed October 26, 2016 (Dutch).
2. ↑ ^{a b} older Artiesten energieke Eddy Christiani (90) . ANP article on NU.nl, April 21, 2008, accessed October 26, 2016 (Dutch).
3. ^ Eddy Christiani: De Nederlandse electrische gitaar pionier. pmouse.nl, March 3, 2006, archived from the original on March 3, 2006 ; Retrieved October 26, 2016 (Dutch). 
4. ^ Eddy Christiani. Chartsurfer.de, accessed on October 26, 2016 . 
5. ^ Eddy Christiani Award - Wiki ZB. Retrieved May 15, 2018 (Dutch).