The super-sized frame of singer René Karst’s iconic, bright green glasses floats above the stage of De Tamboer theater. It was supposed to be the backdrop for his new theater tour, which he would have kicked off this Wednesday. But Karst died unexpectedly last Friday at the age of 59, due to cardiac arrest. That is why the festive premiere of his show will be held in the theater in his beloved Hoogeveen on Wednesday instead The Afterpartyorganized a farewell service.
In the former peat colony in Drenthe, Karst’s death has “not yet completely sunk in,” says Tineke Smit (79). She owns De Lekkernij, where Karst came to perform every Thursday morning with his guitar. “I can’t believe he won’t come tomorrow. He was always there,” she points out. “Table 18. He also made that song about Hoogeveen here, do you know that?”
In the Netherlands, Karst is best known for his hits Rather too thick in the box (2016), A little something for the atmosphere (2019), That really doesn’t interest anyone (2022) and as a lyricist for countless fellow singers. But in Hoogeveen they lose more than just a folk singer. They lose a beloved icon, a committed resident and a proud Drent.
The loss is palpable in Hoogeveen. In the Hoogeveense Courant Between the obituaries there is an advertisement from the mayor, on behalf of the municipality: “René knew how to connect people.”
Municipal councilor
Karst started as a singer in 1979. Together with his mother Jannie Karst-Dubbelboer he starts the ‘Duo Karst’. They release countless CDs with songs in regional language and thus become world famous in their own area, but also among Drenthe emigrants in Canada and Australia. Success in the rest of the Netherlands will only come much later, when he starts making solo Dutch-language songs.
In 2024 he will receive his sixth Golden Record from singer Marco Schuitmaker. He writes on Instagram: “Rest in peace, dear friend. A voice that never silences, but always continues to sing in our hearts.” And there are more famous Dutch people who respond. Frans Duijts writes: “Disbelief and sadness, my heart is crying,” and Jan Smit: “The troubadour is no more… rest in peace.”
Before his national breakthrough, Karst was also active as a municipal councilor for the CDA for a few years. He was an ambassador for the CliniClowns and for the Reading and Writing Foundation. Colleague Ekkel, with whom he made his biggest hit, told the NOS: “His songs were never standard songs. They were well thought-out lyrics.” In addition to Dutch, he was also very committed to , as is evident from his repertoire.
But above all he was an ambassador for Hoogeveen, says former mayor Karel Loohuis: “He always presented the meeting where new residents were welcomed. Then he also sang a few songs.”
‘Socially involved’
The number of reactions to Karst’s death is so large that, in consultation with the municipality, it was decided to have the public farewell last not one but four hours, his manager Marcel Wentink said by telephone. “That’s how loved he was.” About 1,500 people attended the public part, reports ANP. This will be followed by a private farewell for eight hundred guests, including Tineke Smit and Talpa editor-in-chief Marc Veeningen, who grew up near Hoogeveen.
Veeningen describes Karst as an “incredibly nice, fine man, who was incredibly socially involved.” He says that Karst was already named Hoogevener of the year in 2008. “A kind of lifetime achievement award. That was before his big breakthrough, but by then he was already so seen and known in Drenthe.” Yet Karst has never become “chest-beating” because of his success, he says. “That does not fit in Drenthe and certainly not in Hoogeveen.”
Great interest in René Karst’s farewell in De Tamboer.
Photo Marcel J. de Jong / ANP
How fond people were of him is evident from the line that is already at the door of De Tamboer at a quarter to three. There’s a drum roll. “That is the drummer from Hoogeveen,” says Janny Santing, who was actually going to the premiere of the performance tonight. “He used to round up people for church,” she says. Now he does that for Karst.
Also in line is Bobby Goldstars (60, and no: “Unfortunately not born with this surname, that is De Jong”) to honor his “fellow singer”. He comes from Duiven. “An hour and a half journey, but I wanted to say goodbye.” Hoogeven residents Delana (22) and Alicia (17) are also there, together with two classmates. “You hear his songs when you go out. As a Hoogeven resident you are proud that you have someone like that in the city.”
Letter to Van Gogh
The shuffling crowd waits in silence to enter the hall. “It is very impressive,” says someone who comes out with a handkerchief to an acquaintance in the queue. And indeed it is. His gold records are displayed beneath the recognizable glasses, as well as other important memories of Karst’s life. His letter to Vincent van Gogh, for example, who spent three weeks in the town in 1883: “You wrote with paint and I paint with words.”
In the center of the stage, surrounded by his guitars, stands the white coffin. On top of that a bouquet of white roses – with one bright green one in the middle, the color of his glasses. His music plays softly over the speakers, suppressed sobbing in the audience.
Outside, the carillonneur plays his songs on the bells of the town hall. “That is the least we can do as a city,” says Tineke Smit. “He put Hoogeveen on the map.”
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