BOUDEWIJN DE GROOT
Boudewijn de Groot was born in wartime occupied Dutch East Indies (today known as the Republic of Indonesia) in 1944 in a Japanese concentration camp close to Batavia (today known as Jakarta) where his mother died in June 1945. In 1946, he and his family returned to the Netherlands. In the early sixties, De Groot started to write songs together with lyrics writer Lennaert Nijgh. De Groot’s first single, “Strand”, appeared in 1964 and led to some media attention. The single “Noordzee” in February 1964 was a much bigger hit, but the huge breakthrough came in 1966 with Lennaert Nijgh’s adaptation of a song from Charles Aznavour’s “Une enfant de seize ans”, retitled “Meisje van 16”. This was De Groot’s first song to appear in a music chart. He soon quit his job to become a full-time singer. After a while, his first album ‘Boudewijn de Groot’ was released by record label Decca. Much of Nijgh’s lyrics included social criticism, so after the release of his first album in 1966 De Groot was labeled as a protest singer, an image confirmed for the mainstream audience by the success of his song Welterusten Meneer de President (“Goodnight, Mister President”) on the Vietnam War. De Groot’s second album Voor de overlevenden was released later in 1966. The cooperation between Boudewijn and Lennaert resulted in more single releases in the late sixties of which some became hits (e.g. Picknick, Meester Prikkebeen). In 1968, De Groot decided he didn’t want to perform live anymore and stopped his collaboration with Nijgh. From that moment De Groot started to work with others (Eelco Gelling, Lucien Duzee), but, with one exception (In your life), the singles didn’t make it in the charts and De Groot gave up singing for a while. He moved to a farm in Dwingeloo. After a year, De Groot returned as the producer of Rob de Nijs and Oscar Benton. De Groot began working again with Nijgh, and they released the album Hoe sterk is de eenzame fietser in 1973. The song “Jimmy” became his greatest hit in 5 years, constituting a definite comeback. Boudewijn received an Edison and a Gouden Harp (Dutch music awards). Meanwhile, De Groot en Nijgh had orchestrated the comeback of Rob de Nijs, writing a string of hits for him, including “Jan Klaassen de trompetter” and “Malle Babbe”. In 1975, Boudewijn wrote the album Waar ik woon en wie ik ben with his old classmate René Daalder. The single “Ik ben Ik” became a hit. He made no new records between 1975 and 1980, but lived and toured in California, Belgium and the Netherlands. One of the songs he wrote in California, “Annabel”, became a hit for Hans de Booy. In April 1980, his new album Van een afstand was released. It contained {the single of) the title song for the movie “Tip van de sluier”. The single and movie were not successes, but the album won an Edison. De Groot quit in 1984 after the release of his 8th album, Maalstroom. After his retirement in music, De Groot started to translate novels, compose film music and perform as actor and singer when asked. Under the pseudonym “Frank de Groot”, he has translated seven Stephen King novels and in 2011 Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent into Dutch. From 1996 onwards, Boudewijn de Groot started to release new albums (first alongside Nijgh who died in 2002), going on tour again and reappearing in TV-shows. In 2016 Boudewijn forms the group “Vreemde Kostgangers”, together with George Kooymans and Henny Vrienten. On February 6, 2020, Boudewijn announced his final farewell to the stage during a conversation in the TV-blockbuster “De Wereld Draait Door”. It was also his last TV recording. He played the song “Scheiding” on his white Homestead guitar.
Although he had said goodbye to the podium, Boudewijn’s songwriters soul still rages, he released a solo album and book in 2022 titled ‘Windveren’ (November 2022). Several well-known artists contributed to his album. They are George Kooymans, Dave von Raven, granddaughter Aysha de Groot, and Gordon Grothedde.
Before his solo album Boudewijn made, together with Jaco van der Steen, an album and children book titled “Soms Als Ik Een Vlinder Zie”. Aysha de Groot, granddaughter of Boudewijn , also contributed to this album. The release date of this album was September 2022.
Besides his own solo album, Boudewijn de Groot also co-produced the Vreemde Kostgangers third album – Mist, together with the other two members of Vreemde Kostgangers: George Kooymans en Henny Vrienten. Mist was issued in March 2023.
Boudewijn de Groot was also asked to write several of the songs and music of the theatre show “De Vergeten Twentse Lente” which premiered in May 2023.
Boudewijn de Groot (https://www.boudewijndegroot.nl/)
