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Boudewijn de Groot
Boudewijn de Groot

Frank Boudewijn de Groot, born 20 May 1944) is a Dutch singer/songwriter. He is known for the songs "Welterusten Meneer de President" (1966), "Het Land van Maas en Waal" (1967), "Jimmy" (1973) and "Avond" (1996) among others.

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. De Groot's father, however, was obliged to return to Indonesia, so De Groot went to stay with his aunt in Haarlem. In 1951, his father came back and in 1952, the family moved, with his new stepmother, to Heemstede. De Groot lived in Heemstede in the same street as one of his future lyricists, Lennaert Nijgh, who was a friend of De Groot's stepbrother.

In 1968, De Groot decided he didn't want to perform live anymore and stopped his collaboration with Nijgh and his band, The Names and Faces. In 1971, his record label released a compilation album called Vijf jaar hits. It sold over 100,000 copies and, subsequently, De Groot frequently reappeared on the radio. 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. De Groot quit in 1984 after the release of his 8th album, Maalstroom. After his retirement in music, De Groot wanted to translate, compose film music and perform when asked. In 1996, Boudewijn de Groot released Een Nieuwe Herfst. His new record label Mercury also released an album with old work and newly released work. De Groot started going on tour again and he reappeared in some TV-shows.

In 2016 De Groot formed the supergroup Vreemde Kostgangers (Strange Borders) with Henny Vrienten (bass-player of Doe Maar) and George Kooymans (guitarist of Golden Earring); they released two albums in 2017 and did equally successful tours playing their collective songs and solo-material.

Boudewijn de Groot is married to Anja Bak. He has three children with his first wife; Marcel, Caya and Jim, all of whom having music- and acting careers.

Album(s) (Click to Open)