Louis Neefs

Belgian singer and presenter
Louis Neefs
Louis Neefs, performing on TROS, 20 June 1972
Louis Neefs, performing on TROS, 20 June 1972
Background information
Birth nameLudwig Adèle Maria Jozef Neefs
Born(1937-08-08)8 August 1937
Gierle, Belgium
OriginBelgium
Died25 December 1980(1980-12-25) (aged 43)
Lier, Belgium
GenresPop
Occupation(s)Singer
Musical artist

Louis Neefs (born Ludwig Adèle Maria Jozef Neefs, 8 August 1937 – 25 December 1980) was a Belgian singer and presenter, known for his participation in the Eurovision Song Contests of 1967 and 1969.

Early career

Neefs was training for a career in technical drawing at college in Mechelen when he joined the college choir and started learning to play guitar. At first his musical activities were purely recreational, but by the late 1950s he had become a member of a group called Sun Spot. Via performances and talent competitions, Neefs' distinctive singing voice came to the notice of famous musical talent scout Jacques Kluger, who had also discovered, among others, Bobbejaan Schoepen. Kluger and Schoepen brought Neefs to the attention of record companies, and he was signed to a contract in 1958, releasing his first album in 1960. He achieved several top 20 singles in the Flemish chart, and a modicum of success in the Netherlands.

Eurovision Song Contest

In 1967, Neefs was chosen, with the song "Ik heb zorgen" ("I Have Worries"), as the Belgian representative in the 12th Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 8 April in Vienna.[1] "Ik heb zorgen" finished in seventh place of 17 entrants.[2]

In 1969, Neefs was again selected to represent Belgium, with the song "Jennifer Jennings" in the 14th Eurovision, held in Madrid on 29 March.[3] This resulted in another seventh-place finish, of 16 entrants.[4]

Later career

Neefs continued to enjoy recording success, with the biggest hit of his career, "Margrietje", reaching No. 4 in 1972. He was also the "voice" of Thomas O'Malley in the Dutch-language version of Disney's The Aristocats.

In tandem with his musical career, Neefs was a presenter of television and radio shows for Flemish broadcaster VRT. He also became politically active, standing as a councillor in Mechelen.

Death

Neefs was killed in a road accident in Lier on 25 December 1980, aged 43. His wife Liliane also died in the accident. They had two sons, Ludwig Neefs [nl] and Günther Neefs [nl]; the latter is now also a well-known singer in Belgium.[5]

On 5 August 2007, a bust of Neefs was unveiled in his hometown of Gierle to honour what would have been his 70th birthday.[6] Asteroid 38018 Louisneefs, discovered by Eric Elst at La Silla Observatory in 1998, was named in his memory.[7]


References

  1. ^ Eurovision Song Contest National Finals database – 1967
  2. ^ "Ik heb zorgen" at diggiloo.net
  3. ^ Eurovision Song Contest National Finals database – 1969
  4. ^ "Jennifer Jennings" at diggiloo.net
  5. ^ Belgian Rock and Pop archives
  6. ^ "Gierle onthult zondag borstbeeld van zanger Louis Neefs" Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch)
  7. ^ "38018 Louisneefs (1998 LN2)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
Preceded by Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
1967 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
1969 		Succeeded by
  • v
  • t
  • e
ParticipationArtistsSongs
  • "1 Life"
  • "À la folie ou pas du tout"
  • "Als het weer lente is"
  • "L'Amour ça fait chanter la vie"
  • "Avanti la vie"
  • "Baby, Baby"
  • "Because of You"
  • "Before the Party's Over"
  • "City Lights"
  • "Copycat"
  • "Dis oui"
  • "Door de wind"
  • "Envie de vivre"
  • "Euro-Vision"
  • "Fleur de liberté"
  • "Geef het op"
  • "Gelukkig zijn"
  • "Goeiemorgen, morgen"
  • "Le Grand soir"
  • "Hey Nana"
  • "Hou toch van mij"
  • "Iemand als jij"
  • "Ik heb zorgen"
  • "J'aime la vie"
  • "Je t'adore"
  • "Jennifer Jennings"
  • "Judy et Cie"
  • "Laat me nu gaan"
  • "Laissez briller le soleil"
  • "Liefde is een kaartspel"
  • "Like the Wind"
  • "Love Kills"
  • "Love Power"
  • "Ma petite chatte"
  • "Macédomienne"
  • "A Matter of Time"
  • "Me and My Guitar"
  • "Messieurs les noyés de la Seine"
  • "A Million in One, Two, Three"
  • "Miss You"
  • "Mon amour pour toi"
  • "Mother"
  • "Nous, on veut des violons"
  • "O Julissi"
  • "Un peu de poivre, un peu de sel"
  • "Le Plus beau jour de ma vie"
  • "Près de ma rivière"
  • "Quand tu reviendras"
  • "Release Me"
  • "Rendez-vous"
  • "Rhythm Inside"
  • "Samson"
  • "Sanomi"
  • "September, gouden roos"
  • "Si tu aimes ma musique"
  • "Sister"
  • "Soldiers of Love"
  • "Straatdeuntje"
  • "Ton nom"
  • "Viens l'oublier"
  • "La Voix est libre"
  • "Waarom?"
  • "Wake Up"
  • "What's the Pressure"
  • "With Love Baby"
  • "Would You?"
  • "The Wrong Place"
  • Note: Entries scored out signify where Belgium did not compete
  • v
  • t
  • e
Countries
Artists
Songs
  • "L'amour est bleu"
  • "Anouschka"
  • "Boum-Badaboum"
  • "Dukkemann"
  • "Hablemos del amor"
  • "If I Could Choose"
  • "Ik heb zorgen"
  • "Il doit faire beau là-bas"
  • "Non andare più lontano"
  • "Puppet on a String"
  • "Quel cœur vas-tu briser ?"
  • "Ring-dinge-ding"
  • "Som en dröm"
  • "Varjoon – suojaan"
  • "O vento mudou"
  • "Vse rože sveta"
  • "Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt"
  • v
  • t
  • e
Countries
Artists
Songs
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
International
  • ISNI
  • VIAF
National
  • Germany
Artists
  • MusicBrainz