JAN SMIT

Pseudonyms

Jantje Smit

Jan Smit

Child star who has hit it big in The Netherlands as well as in Germany with Schlager repertoire.
Full biography

Instruments

zang

Former members

Kees Tol   gitaar

Mentioned in the biography of

1963   Roy Beltman
1986   Sylvain Poons
1996   BZN
1999   BZN
1999   Gerard Joling
1999   Normaal
2000   Nick & Simon
2001   Jan van der Smit
2002   George Baker
2002   Piet Veerman
2002   Tol & Tol
2003   Jody Pijper
2011   Toppers
2012   Gerard Joling
2013   Charly Luske
2013   Toppers
2013   Wim Rijken
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Biography Jan Smit

Child star who has hit it big in The Netherlands as well as in Germany with Schlager repertoire.

1996

Jantje is asked by Dutch group BZN to sing a duet with their singer Carola Smit. The song is called Mama and is a big hit.

BZN Carola Smit

1997

The song Ik Zing Dit Lied Voor Jou Alleen ('I Sing This Song Just For You') enters the Dutch charts at number 1. Smit's debut album Ik Zing Dit Lied Voor Jou Alleen becomes double platinum. The album Kerstmis Met Jantje Smit ('Christmas With Jantje Smit') also reaches gold.

1998

Smit's new album Land Van Mijn Dromen ('Land of My Dreams') becomes gold. The title track enters the Top 10 only two weeks after its release.

Jack Veerman (1) Jan Keizer Jan Tuijp Roy Beltman

1999

Smit works on an album in both the Spanish and German language. Also released are the single Eens Zit Je Leven Weer Mee ('You Will Find Luck') and the CD Jantje Smit. With Dutch rock band Normaal Smit records the song Puik Idee Ballade ('Great Idea Ballad'), which climbs to number 18 in the charts.

2000

Jantje changes his name to Jan and releases an album in the English language called 2000. His second album in the German language Ein Bisschen Liebe ('A Little Love') is also released and Smit goes on a tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

2001

The album Zing En Lach ('Sing and Laugh') is released in September. The albums Jeder Braucht Ein Bisschen Glück ('Everybody Needs Some Luck') and Ein Bischen Liebe become gold in Germany.

2002

Smit wins the Export prize for his immense CD sales in Germany.

George Baker Piet Veerman Tol & Tol

2003

Jan Smit writes twelve songs on the album Op Eigen Benen ('On His Own'). Hans Hollestelle and the Tol brothers play the instruments and are also responsible for the arrangements. Another release this year is the German-language Für Alle.

Hans Hollestelle

2004

The DVD Jan Smit Onderweg 2003-2004 contains footage from Jan's shows at the Pepsi Stage in Amsterdam, a visit to Surinam and the video Het Kleine Meisje ('The Little Girl').

2005

Jan Smit is one of the vocalists on Als Je Iets Kan Doen ('If You Can Do Something') the benefit single for the Tsunami victims in Asia. On March 11 the single Vrienden Voor Het Leven ('Friends For Life') comes out. The song is co-written by Smit and Simon Keizer. On April 22 his new album JanSmit.Com is released. Meanwhile, as of March 25 10-part reality soap about Jan Smit is daily televised by Pubcaster TROS. The series is watched by 1,5 million viewers each week and is released on double DVD in June. In the same month JanSmit.Com reaches gold. Because of the success of Jan.Smit.Com the album Op Eigen Benen re-enters the charts. Boom Boom Bailando is released as a single. The DVD Live Op De Bühne contains 23 songs and becomes gold. The song Laura is written for a friend that has died. The single is released in three parts. The first release includes the covers Tears In Heaven (Eric Clapton) and Leaving On A Jetplane (John Denver). The second version includes previously unreleased tracks and the third single includes a cover of André Hazes's Zij Gelooft In Mij.

André Hazes De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig Nick & Simon

2006

Together with Belgium's Belle Perez Jan Smit presents the 'TROS musical party on ice' in the Thialff Ice Stadium featuring stars such as Frans Bauer, Marianne Weber, Koos Alberts, Vader Abraham, Mieke, Jannes, Thomas Berge and André Rieu. It is televised by pubcaster TROS in two episodes in February. On March 15 Jan Smit wins an Edison Music Award for best Dutch singer. On March 17 he performs at the Giga Pirates Festival at Arnhem's Gelredome Arena. The next day he joins an anti-cancer charity. The single Hoe Kan Ik Van Je Dromen is released in two versions: one, which includes three tracks from The Cats and one with three karaoke tracks. The single Als De Morgen Is Gekomen ('When The Morning Has Come') [end of August] is the predecessor of the album Op Weg Naar Geluk ('On The Way To Happiness') [September]. The single lands on the top slot of the charts, while the album is double platinum in its first weekend. As of September 8 TROS starts a new series of the successful reality soap Gewoon ('Just') Jan Smit. On September 26 Jan Smit gets on an extensive tour with his 11-piece. On November 13 Jan Smit receives a double platinum award for his album Op Weg Naar Geluk plus a triple platinum album for JanSmit.Com. It is enhanced with a special award by Target Media to commemorate 100.000 ring tones sold plus a prize by Senf Agency for sales of well over 100.000 tickets for the Op Weg Naar Geluk tour. The singles Als De Morgen Is Gekomen and Cupido both reach the top slot in the Dutch-language Top 20. On December 11 Smit gets an 'Original Rembrandt' award for the album Op Weg Naar Geluk. On December 31 he wins the Megaward 2006 public vote (of the Mega Charts) for most popular artist of the year.

2007

The collaboration between Smit and TROS is intensified. Apart from his reality soap he presents amusement shows, a travel programme and a series of open-air shows on big squares. Because of his many TV appearances there is less time to perform. Jan's sister Monique Smit (Volendam, 9 April 1989) releases her debut single Wild in the summer. The single Dan Volg je Haar Benen (October) has an extra track called Calypso, a duet with the deceased country singer John Denver. It is the first time Denver's family gives permission for a postumous duet. The single shoots straight to the top of the Dutch Top 40. ENT-specialists find small knobs on Smit's vocal chords and he is advised to take things slow. After having been awarded a TMF Award in the category Best Dutch Act in the autumn, Smit has to undergo surgery to his vocal chords. This means that he won't be able to sing for six months. Consequently, his new tour in the spring of 2008 and the release of the album Stilte In de Storm (Silence In The Storm) are postponed. Also his job as a TV presenter comes to a halt.

2008

On 18 April the third part of the TV series Gewoon Jan Smit (Simply Jan Smit) starts on Dutch national TV. Smit's first performance after his surgery is on 30 April during Queen's Day in Amsterdam. In June the single Stilte In De Storm (Silence In The Storm) comes out. The song is also title track of the film De Brief Voor De Koning (Letter For The King). Stilte In De Storm is also the title of Smit's new album which comes out in August and is presented in Paradiso, Amsterdam. The album includes the hit singles and the duet Calypso with John Denver. Just like Op Weg Naar Geluk (On The Way To Happiness), Stilte In De Storm climbs to the top of the album charts. Together with his musical collaborators 3Js and Nick & Simon, Jan Smit does a tour of the Spanish Costas on a boat. Their tour can be followed in the TV series, Jan Smit, De Zomer Voorbij. Starting October, the singer and his band tour the Netherlands with the Jan Smit Komt Naar Je Toe Tour.

2009

On 5 March, Jan Smit is awarded a Golden Harp Award. The award honours artists that have made a special contribution to Dutch popular music during their career. Jan Smit and his Surinam colleague Damaru record a new version of the song Mi Rowsu, better known as Tuintje In Mijn Hart (Little Garden In My Heart). It is the first time that Smit sings in Sranantongo. The song is the most popular song during the summer of 2009. It climbs to the top of the Single Top 100 and stays in the top of the Top 40 for three weeks.

Photos Jan Smit

Audio/Video Jan Smit

Video Jan Smit