Roy Black (singer)
Roy Black ( born January 25, 1943 in Bobingen - Strassberg at Augsburg; † 9 October 1991 in Heldenstein at Mühldorf; civil Gerhard Höllerich ) was a German pop singer and actor in several German music films and in the television series Ein Schloss am Wörthersee.
Life
Gerhard Höllerich was the eldest son of the merchant Georg Höllerich (1917-1990) and his wife Elisabeth was born ( 1922-2013 ). He visited his birthplace Strassberg, in the south of Augsburg, the elementary school and later the Holbein Gymnasium in Augsburg, where he made the high school and wanted to study biology, but then decided for financial reasons to study business administration, but which he did not graduate.
The first successes
For the first time publicly sang Höllerich during carnival 1963 in the band The Honky Tonks, who appeared in the Augsburg Pub Charlie's monkey-house. On 14 September 1963 he founded with the musicians Günter Ortmann, Dieter Schwedes, Peter Schwedes, Helmut Exenberger and Dieter Sirch the rock-' n'- roll band Roy Black and his Cannons. His pseudonym " Roy Black" makes reference to his black hair, which earned him the nickname " Blacky ", and on the other to his idol, the American singer Roy Orbison, which he borrowed the name. " Roy Black and his Cannons " had their first official appearance, according to the Roy Black Chronicle by Manfred Langner and Arno Loeb, in the Augsburg dance club Femina, demonstrating a mapped display from the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper on December 6, 1963. They also played a cover band with songs from Presley to the Beatles in the three major U.S. barracks in Augsburg. On June 16, 1964 Roy Black and his Cannons won a talent contest at a student ball in Augsburg Moritz hall. From this appearance of the Cannons of Polydor producer Hans Bertram learned from a TV report in the BR, just as he was in Munich, and then wrote from Cologne to the school by Roy Black ( Holbein Gymnasium) to make contact with Gerhard Höllerich to get what is the original letter in the possession of Roy Black biographer Arno Loeb. On August 25, 1964, from Gerhard Höllerich " Roy Black", and on September 1, 1964, he receives a recording contract. Roy Black abandoned his studies in Business Administration from Munich, to focus on the music. The first two singles from Roy Black and his Cannons ( recorded in summer 1964) were called Sweet Baby my darling and my Love. The former was a little respect for success, not least through the use of an Augsburg vending plate, the tour manager was for a short time Roy Blacks. The second single was not a success. The third single You 're not alone, the Black without The Cannons sang, was commercially successful. This solo recording reached the Top Ten of the German hit parade winter 1965. Behind the Rolling Stones' Satisfaction, the Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man and the Rainbows Balla Balla she came up to fourth place. The author Arno Loeb is of the opinion that especially Elisabeth Bertram, wife of the producers, who at Radio Luxembourg had great influence on the program and had to use the plates of her husband, has influenced the career of Roy Black.
Breakthrough
With the song 'All in White from the text by Kurt Hertha and music by Rolf Arland Black was in the spring of 1966 to finally pop star in Germany. Around 2.5 million singles were sold. In 1966 under the simple title Roy Black, the first music album of the artist. In 1967, Roy Black appeared for the first time in a music film: Paradise of brisk sinners, produced by Carl Spiehs with Hans -Jürgen Baumler, Willy Millowitsch, Ralf Wolter and Lou van Burg. The movie was released in theaters in the spring of 1968. His first starring role was in The Trouble with Black drummers who came to the big screen in the fall of 1968. Black side stood Uschi Glas. In Help, I love twins!, Reverend turns a blind eye, he who laughs last, laughs best and when my baby bangs on the drum they played together.
Until 1969 all singles by Roy Black reached the top ten, including six first places were. He was regularly represented in the show hosted by Dieter Thomas Heck ZDF hit parade. In January 1969 Black reached there with I think of you the 1st place. In 1970, Black sang the song of the TV lottery I dreamed that happiness came to me today. In 1971 his moderation of the TV show was If you had time today for me? offered; However, he refused and Michael Schanze acted as moderator. In duet with Anita Hegerland, a ten-year Norwegian, Roy Black had in the fall of 1971 his last great success: It is nice to be in the world, a children's song - hit he also in the music movie When my baby on the drum skin in the cinemas presented. The title stayed 18 weeks in the German top ten. In the same year appeared for the film Green is the Heath an album which was a setting of poems by Hermann Lons. Then Roy Black has not had much commercial success more.
In the fall of 1974, he split from the producer couple Hans and Elisabeth Bertram. In 1973, Roy Black became engaged with the photo model Silke Vagts, who also worked as a layout artist in teen magazine " Bravo ". The two married on April 30, 1974 in Munich. On August 1, 1976, son Torsten on the world. Loeb writes in his book, Black had to earn money, attended a live performance after another in the 1970s. He brought annually often over 250 appearances behind. Loeb also writes that the tax authorities have been trying to get Black Bag by garnishment for payment of outstanding taxes. Black resigned from the church to save the church tax. Silke Höllerich confirmed these events in her book. The reason for the financial disaster is to have lain in the fact that Roy Black be entrusted assets millions dishonest advisers who wirtschafteten into their own pockets.
A theater tour in the spring of 1975 with the song Why are you lying, Cherie? Roy Black was to failure. In the summer of 1978, Wolfgang Kaminski new tour manager. Previously Black had been cared for by his brother Walter Höllerich. With Wolfgang Kaminski things were looking up again. With him, Roy Black started with an orchestra bathrooms tour along the North and Baltic Sea. After a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London and toured the East Roy Black mid-80s had professional success again. In the summer of 1983, his song Wild Cherries blossom early again reached top positions in the hit - charts, but not in the sales charts. On November 26, 1985 Roy Black was divorced from his wife, Silke. In February 1986, appeared lifeblood, his first album in six years, and brought him with songs like crazy and in Japan, the sun rises on new popularity. On May 25, 1986, he broke due to a heart defect together, was taken to Community Hospital Herdecke and received a few weeks later in Munich two new heart valves. But even on 3 December 1986, he joined again in Berlin in front of 3,000 fans.
Last work and death
From December 1990 until his death lived in the Black North Rhine-Westphalia Herdecke in Ennepe -Ruhr-Kreis. From RTL plus got Black 1989 a major role in the television series A castle at the Wörthersee offered. In the series, participated in the numerous guest stars, he played the hotel chef Lennie Berger. At the same time, he joined the German song composed by Dorco Like a star on the horizon in some TV on. On May 2, 1990, Roy Black's father Georg Höllerich took his own life. Roy Black's last single from his last successes were extractions, produced by Dieter Bohlen Album Rose Time ( 1991). In May 1991 Ask Mary came in at number 67 of the radio charts and in August reached I dream myself to you there 39th place His new girlfriend Carmen Böhning that Black had met at a concert, brought on 14 September 1991, the joint Nathalie daughter to the world. On September 18, 1991, Roy Black his last television appearance on German television in the ZDF hit parade with Uwe Hübner.
On October 9, 1991 Roy Black died of heart failure at his fishing lodge in Heldenstein (Upper Bavaria), where he was staying alone. According to press reports from the year 2011 to at necropsy, a blood alcohol level of 3 parts per thousand have been found, a value which is usually achieved only with alcoholism. Roy Black was buried under his real name in his native Strassberg at Augsburg. The grave has become a place of pilgrimage for Roy Black fans. Each year, organize them in Augsburg, Bobingen or Strassberg commemorations.
Personality
Silke Höllerich describes her husband as a one hand phased very empathetic, loving people, on the other hand, as a paranoid, avaricious egotist, the ridiculous other did his wife, cheating on her, could not establish a relationship with his son Torsten and in the everyday lives of his family and his friends the same reverence as expected by his audience. His life to Roy Black problems have had to deal with the balancing act between his role, the product " Roy Black", and his private self, Gerhard Höllerich. Especially with the loss of recognition by the public in the 1970s, he could probably difficult to cope; this experience made him depressed, says Silke Höllerich.
Roy Black was a " crooner " widely criticized, his hit was banned on the radio station Ö3 Austrian broadcasting company because of the crooner decree against him. He was able to identify with this role before. Movie producer Karl Spiehs reported of him: " He likes to crack jokes about themselves, especially when he felt unhappy. His favorite joke: How do you get the brain of a crooner to pea size? ! - Simply inflate ' " Similarly, his multiple co-star Uschi Glas said: " I tried it again and again to convince them that he also liked the Roy properly and should accept. But that was easier said than done. "
Thomas Gottschalk also spoke in his funeral oration on this subject: " When Gerhard Höllerich he knew how to make others hope and courage. Although he was without hope. When Roy Black and blasted he was admired. Although he himself has suffered and was full of doubts. Let the two come together in eternity. "
After his death
On 9 October 1996, the German TV movie was "You 're not alone - The Roy Black Story" aired for the first time. The title role is taken over by the German - Austrian actor Christoph Waltz, who was awarded at the Baden -Baden days of the TV game in November 1996, a special prize. Public opinion about the film was divided. While many were enthusiastic about its authenticity and the action based on the biography of Roy Blacks were able to identify some media kept the film for coated and titled him as " blatant black and white painting" (Berliner Morgenpost).
In 1999, the single was released, the migrant priests. The song was again found by chance on an old tape and produced by Polydor in 1999.
In spring 2000 the life of Roy Black, the first German hit musical was full dedicated in white, which was written by Black's biographer Arno Leib and produced by the Berlin-based agency "Valentino". The world premiere of All in white took place in the Augsburg Congress Hall, where Black had one of his last performances. Black was represented in this musical by Claudio Maniscalco, who sang the title Roy Black also live.
In 2004, The Ultimate Chart Show was in the RTL show: The most successful singer determined that Roy Black was the most successful singers of the last forty years in Germany. In addition, he received a total of 13 golden lion of Radio Luxembourg.
In Augsburg, the " Roy " is awarded from 2012, Roy Black is here named for the Augsburg Pop Award.