Roy Black (singer)
Encyclopedia
Roy Black was a German
schlager
singer
and actor
, who appeared in several musical comedies and starred in the 1989 TV series
, Ein Schloß am Wörthersee.
Born Gerhard Höllerich in Bobingen
, Bavarian Swabia, Germany
, Black attended the gymnasium
in Augsburg and, aged 20, founded the rock and roll
band Roy Black and His Cannons. His stage name derived from his black hair and his idol, Roy Orbison
.
Roy Black and His Cannons achieved some local fame and were offered a recording contract
with Polydor Records
. However, his record producer
Hans Bertram decided on a solo
career for Black, and a switch to romantic song
s for his protégé, a decision which soon led to nationwide fame. In 1966, his single
"Ganz in Weiß" — a romantic song about marrying
in white — sold in excess of one million copies by the end of 1967. His 1969 song "Dein schönstes Geschenk", sold one million copies by May 1970, having spent nine weeks at number one in the German chart
.
From 1967, Black also took on roles in several musical comedy film
s, for example in the 1969 movie Hilfe, ich liebe Zwillinge (Help, I Love Twins) opposite Uschi Glas
.
In 1974 Black announced his engagement
to model
Silke Vagts (1945-2002), and the couple got married in Munich
the same year. In 1976 their son Torsten was born. They divorced in 1985.
Six years later Black died of heart failure, in Heldenstein
near Mühldorf am Inn, which was assumed to be a result of his addiction
to alcohol
and pharmaceuticals. The punk band Wizo
wrote a song disparaging Black after his death, changing the lyrics of a children's song to "Roy Black ist tot" ("Roy Black is dead").
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, who appeared in several musical comedies and starred in the 1989 TV series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, Ein Schloß am Wörthersee.
Born Gerhard Höllerich in Bobingen
Bobingen
Bobingen is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It lies on the rivers Wertach and Singold, on the edge of the Augsburg-Westliche Wälder Nature Park, in Augsburg District, some 13 km south Augsburg itself.- History :...
, Bavarian Swabia, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Black attended the gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Augsburg and, aged 20, founded the rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band Roy Black and His Cannons. His stage name derived from his black hair and his idol, Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
.
Roy Black and His Cannons achieved some local fame and were offered a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
. However, his record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Hans Bertram decided on a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career for Black, and a switch to romantic song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s for his protégé, a decision which soon led to nationwide fame. In 1966, his single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Ganz in Weiß" — a romantic song about marrying
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
in white — sold in excess of one million copies by the end of 1967. His 1969 song "Dein schönstes Geschenk", sold one million copies by May 1970, having spent nine weeks at number one in the German chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
.
From 1967, Black also took on roles in several musical comedy film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s, for example in the 1969 movie Hilfe, ich liebe Zwillinge (Help, I Love Twins) opposite Uschi Glas
Uschi Glas
Uschi Glas is a German film and television actress.Born in Landau, Bavaria, Glas started appearing in films in 1965...
.
In 1974 Black announced his engagement
Engagement
An engagement or betrothal is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be betrothed, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged...
to model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
Silke Vagts (1945-2002), and the couple got married in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
the same year. In 1976 their son Torsten was born. They divorced in 1985.
Six years later Black died of heart failure, in Heldenstein
Heldenstein
Heldenstein is a municipality in the district of Mühldorf in Bavaria in Germany....
near Mühldorf am Inn, which was assumed to be a result of his addiction
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
to alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and pharmaceuticals. The punk band Wizo
WIZO
Wizo is a punk rock band from Sindelfingen, Germany. The band was formed in 1985. Their messages run from political to humorous, and they are strongly opposed to Nazism, fascism, racism, and "all of that crap"...
wrote a song disparaging Black after his death, changing the lyrics of a children's song to "Roy Black ist tot" ("Roy Black is dead").
Awards
- 1966: Bravo Otto in silver
- 1967: Bravo Otto in gold
- 1968: Bravo Otto in gold
- 1968: Goldene EuropaGoldene EuropaThe Goldene Europa award is the oldest German Television award for artists and entertainers. It was awarded from 1968 to 2003. In the years 1989 and 2001, there were no ceremonies...
- 1969: Bravo Otto in gold
- 1970: Bravo Otto in gold
- 1970: Goldene Europa
- 1971: Bravo Otto in silver
- 1971: Goldene Europa
- 1972: Bravo Otto in bronze
- 1972: Krawattenmann des Jahres
- 1980: Hermann-Löns-Medaille
- 1981: Goldene StimmgabelGoldene StimmgabelThe Goldene Stimmgabel is an annual prize awarded within the German music scene.The prizes are awarded according to the number of records sold from October of the previous year to June of the year of the award, as determined by Media Control...
- 1984: Goldene Stimmgabel
- 1989: Goldene Stimmgabel
- 1990: Goldene Stimmgabel