Radio maker Frits Spits (77) calls the death of singer Rob de Nijs ‘a big loss for Dutch music culture’. The Eindhoven radio maker had known De Nijs, who died on Sunday at the age of 82 for a long time. “He managed to give extra shine.”
“It is very sad about it. It was a very nice and always extremely friendly man, also a personal big loss,” striker tells the NOS.
It was not long before he made a successful comeback, thanks to the collaboration with Lennaert Nijgh and Boudewijn de Groot. His big hits from the 70s, including Jan Klaassen de Trompetter, Hello Sister Ursula and Malle Babbe, confirmed his status as one of the greats of Dutch music.
“Ninety percent of the songs he sang in Dutch and he was able to give lyrics by Lennaert Nijgh, Belinda Meuldijk and Jan Rot Gloss,” says RadioMaker Spits.
“He was completely in the service of the song he sang. He made the song of himself. When he sang a song it became the final version, it seemed.”
Bergen op Zoom
Although De Nijs was best known as an Amsterdammer, Bergen op Zoom played a special role for the life and career of Rob de Nijs. In the late 60s, at a time when his musical career stagnated, Rob de Nijs found a new home and workplace in the city.
His stay in Bergen op Zoom also marked an important turning point in his personal life. In 1968 Rob de Nijs married Elly Hesseling, the daughter of the club owner Jan Hesseling.
His marriage and the time he spent in Brabant gave him stability and inspiration, he later said in interviews, with the call of music unabated.
Thousands of reactions
De Nijs died on Sunday at the age of 82 in the presence of his loved ones in his house in Bennekom. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease.
The report of the death of De Nijs appeared on his Monday Instagram. Three hours later, about eight thousand reactions had already been placed, from colleagues, from others from the entertainment world, but also from many people who became a fan in his long career at some point.