VADER ABRAHAM

Vader Abraham

The most successful artist in the history of the Dutch Top 40.
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Pierre Kartner   zang

Mentioned in the biography of

1948   Ernö Olah
1952   Addy Kleijngeld
1959   Dimitri van Toren
1965   Johnny Hoes
1966   Corry Konings
1971   Wilma
1974   Mieke
1975   Mieke
1976   Donna Lynton
1977   Dennie Christian
1980   Johan Jansen
1981   Dennie Christian
1981   John van de Ven
1983   Zangeres Zonder Naam
1998   Jacques Herb
2003   Ria Valk
2005   Dries Roelvink
2005   Frans Duijts
2011   Frommermann
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Biography Vader Abraham

The most successful artist in the history of the Dutch Top 40.

1935

Pierre Kartner, the grandmaster of the populist genre is born.

1943 - 1965

Pierre teaches himself to play guitar, piano and double bass. He forms the group the Headlines.

Addy Kleijngeld Dimitri van Toren Headlines Heintje Jaap Goedèl Johnny Hoes Lettersets

1967

Kartner releases his debut album: Ik Wil Nog Even Met Je Praten ('I just Want To Talk To You').

Patricia Paay

1968

Pierre signs to Dureco where he works, very successfully, as a plugger and as a producer.

Lord Wanhoop

1969

Kartner becomes successful with Duo X. They score three Top 40 hits in a row: In Gedachten Zie Ik Het Kerkje Weer (In My Memories I See the Church Again'), Niemand Kan Ons Toch Scheiden ('No-one Can Keep Us Apart') and Kijk In Mijn Ogen ('Look Into My Eyes').

Annie de Reuver Corry en de Rekels Duo X

1970

Pierre's big break comes with the song Huilen Is Voor Jou Te Laat ('It's Too Late For You To Cry') by Corry & De Rekels, which to this very day is the best-sold Dutch-language single ever but one (namely Marco Borsato's Dromen Zijn Bedrog), selling over 1 million copies. It stays in the charts for 41 weeks.

Ben Cramer Corry en de Rekels Jacques Herb Wilma

1971

Pierre writes his first carnival song: Vader Abraham Had Zeven Zonen ('Father Abraham Had Seven Sons').

Heintje Wilma

1972

When Corry breaks up with the Rekels Pierre finds a new singer in Hanny. With her the band records the song Mario, which shoots to the top of the charts.

Hanny

1973

With songs like Bedankt Lieve Ouders ('Thank You Dear Parents') Kartner discovers a new audience: old age pensioners.

1974

Pierre records a carnival song about the international oil crisis.

1975

Kartner crosses the line when he records the controversial single Wat Doen We Met Die Arabieren Hier ('What Do We Do With Those Arabs'), which was also inspired by the oil crisis.

1976

Pierre Kartner has international success with the song Het Kleine Café Aan De Haven ('Little Café By The Harbour'). It's been recorded by artists like Davey Arthur and the Fury's, Engelbert Humperdinck, The Barron Knights, Audrey Landers and Hervé Village.

1977

Kartner becomes world famous when he records the Smurf Song. Over 400.000 copies of the single are sold in The Netherlands and more than 500.000 copies of the album.

De Smurfen

1978

Pierre Kartner receives the Dutch Export Price.

1979

On a regular basis Kartner performs for charity.

1983

Pierre Kartner is awarded Most Popular Artist in Mexico.

1985

Pierre presents a weekly radio show.

Willem van Kooten

1990 - 1991

Vader Abraham writes several hits for Hanny.

Hanny

1992

Kartner works as a disc jockey.

1994

Pierre Kartner releases an easy-listening album.

1996

Pierre records a duet with upcoming Dutch-language Schlager star Frans Bauer.

Frans Bauer

1998

Kartner releases the single Adios Mijn Vriend ('Adios My Friend'), a duet with singer Corry Konings.

Corry Konings

1999

Pierre is still active as a songwriter, composer, producer and talent-scout.

2000

The compilation album 30 Jaar Vader Abraham ('30 Years Vader Abraham') is released. Pierre also receives a royal honour.

2001

Vader Abraham re-records the Smurf song.

2002

Kartner releases a topical single about the local and national elections. Also, he writes the music to 3D computer game Space Lander.

2003

Ria Valk records the Pierre Kartner-written song Cup-a-Soup op. However, food multinational Unilever disallows the single sales.

Ria Valk

2004

Als Je Wilt Weten Wie Ik Ben ('If You Want To Know Who I Am') is the first ever DVD release by Father Abraham. It contains his greatest hits, enhanced by an interview.

2005

The hit song Van Breda Tot Aan Maastricht can be heard in a radio commercial for courier DHL. Het Moederlied ('The Mother Song') is a duet with young singer Wesley. Pierre Kartner writes and produces the single Ik Ben Dries ('I Am Dries') by singer Dries Roelvink. In July a new version of the Het Smurfenlied ('The Smurf Song'), recorded with Belgian band Dynamite, is released. On October 9 Vader Abraham and Mieke can be seen on stage again for the first time in 25 years when they perform at the Doelen in Rotterdam. With Die Kleine Kneipe (the German version of Het Kleine Café Aan De Haven) Father Abraham is in the Top 100 of best German-language songs ever, as voted for by viewers of national public television ZDF. In November the station invites Kartner for a live rendition of the song on its Unsere Besten Jahrhundert-Hits ('Our Best Hits Of The Century'). He also sings the German version of his famous Smurfs Song (Das Lied der Schlümpfe). In December Kartner tells de Telegraaf, the country's biggest newspaper, that he's working on an album consisting of more subdued and delicate material.

Dries Roelvink

2006

To commemorate his 70th anniversary, on January 18 Kartner is honoured with a tribute show by local artists staged at the Mezz club in his hometown Breda.

2007 - 2008

German act PS Alex releases a German version of Kartner's song Maar Vanavond Heb Ik Hoofdpijn (But Tonight I Have A Headache). Schlager singer Patrick Lindner records his song lied So 'n alter Schunkelwalzer and Eberhard Hertel sings a duet with Pierre Kartner on his album Auf Das Leben, Auf Die Liebe. Kartner composes several songs to the album Durf Te Geloven (Dare To Believe) by Flemeish singer Wendy van Wanten.

2009

Pierre Kartner writes music for Christoff and Frans Duijts. In November it is announced that he will write the song for the Dutch contestant of the Eurovision Songcontest 2010 in Oslo, Norway. The track is called Ik Ben Verliefd Shalalie ('I Am In Love Shalalie').

2010

On 7 February five acts perform their version of Ik Ben Verliefd (I Am In Love) Shalalie, the band Loekz and 17-year old singer Sieneke Peeters end up with the same score. Pierre Kartner has to decide which of the two acts will go to Oslo. He picks the young singer from Nijmegen. Sieneke is the youngest solo contestant ever to represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Songcontest. On 27 mei Sieneke fails to reach the finals.

Sieneke

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