Getty Kaspers

Gertrude "Getty" Kaspers (born 5 March 1948) is an Austrian-born Dutch singer. She was the lead vocalist of the Dutch band Teach-In, with which she won the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 with the song "Ding-a-dong".[2]

Getty Kaspers
Kaspers in 1975
Background information
Birth nameGertrude Kaspers[1]
Born (1948-03-05) 5 March 1948
Graz, Styria, Austria[2]
OriginNetherlands
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • Songwriter
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1971–75; 1976–present[3][4]
Labels

Career

Early career

Kaspers joined the band Teach-In in 1971. In 1974, the band had three Top 15 hits in the Netherlands. The band also had a number of international successes. One of these, "In The Summernight", reached number 5 in South Africa for 13 weeks and also peaked at number 3 in the Dutch and Belgian charts for 10 and 9 weeks respectively.[5][6]

Kaspers with Teach-In at the 1975 Nationaal Songfestival

Eurovision Song Contest

Teach-In participated in the Nationaal Songfestival 1975, the Dutch national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 1975. The competition was held in the Jaarbeurs convention centre in Utrecht, and for the first time since 1970, the act had not been preselected by broadcaster NOS, but was selected in a two-stage process. Teach-In were required to perform their song "Ding-a-dong" in the first round to select the song that would represent the Netherlands. A five-member international jury selected the winning song 4 votes to 1 over the songs "Ik heb geen geld voor de trein" from Albert West and "Circus" from Debbie (Dutch versions of Teach-In songs "Tennessee Town" and "The Circus Show").[7][8]

With the song "Ding-a-dong" winning the first round, all three performers were required to sing this song in the second round to decide the winning artist. The final vote would consist of a public vote resulting in Teach-In winning the Nationaal Songfestival with 56 points, compared to 33 points for Albert West and 11 points for Debbie.

As the lead vocalist of Teach-In, Kaspers opened the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 held in Stockholm, Sweden, and went on to win the contest with 152 points.

After their Eurovision victory, the band entered the charts in nearly every European country.[9] "Ding-a-dong" reached third place in the Top 40 of the National Hit Parade in the Netherlands and reached place thirteen in the British charts. Later that year, Teach-In released the single "Goodbye Love", which also made the Top 10, peaking at number 5 for 7 weeks.[10][11]

In 1976, Kaspers returned to the Eurovision Song Contest to give Brotherhood of Man, the winners of the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, their prizes.

Kaspers presenting the prizes to Brotherhood of Man upon winning the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest

Solo career

Teach-In toured Europe for the next two years, but the disappointing sale of the album "Get On Board"[12] and the song "Rose Valley"[13] caused the band to break apart in 1978. Whilst Ruud Nijhuis and Koos Versteeg decided to reform the band in 1979 with two new female singers, Kaspers decided to continue her music career as a solo artist under the stage name Getty, recording a couple of discs including the Getty Album, featuring such songs as "Mademoiselle", "Love Me" and "De Eerste Liefde is Een Feest", originally "The Queen of Hearts" by Agnetha Fältskog in Swedish and English. Her vocals can also be heard on Rick van der Linden's "Cum Laude" album and on recordings made by Radio Veronica.[14][3]

In 1978, she joined her bandmate John Gaasbeek[15] with Wilma van Diepen and formed the Balloon trio, recording a few songs such as "All You Need Is The Music" and "Summerparty", featuring cameos of well known songs. After little success, the trio broke apart in 1980.[16][17]

Later appearances and Teach-In revival

Kaspers was present as a jury member in the 1978, 1982 and 2009 Dutch national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. She also featured in the 2005 Eurovision documentary "Tour d'Eurovision", highlighting some of the best performances of Eurovision.

In 1997, it was announced that the original line-up of Teach-In, including Kaspers, had re-recorded some of their old hits and had plans to tour again. The band reunited to sing "Ding-a-dong" at a show in Maastricht on 31 August 2007. Kaspers also performed with the group in the original line-up at the opening of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow, singing classics such as "Ding-a-dong" and "I'm Alone".

In 2009, Teach-In re-released a combined album titled "Festival/Get On Board".[18] The following year, the band released the "Best Of Teach-In" album, featuring their greatest hits.[19]

Kaspers was present at the 2012 Dutch national final for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Personal life

Kaspers was born in Graz, Austria on 5 March 1948.[2] She is fluent in English, Dutch and German. In 2011, Kaspers' husband died of ALS.[20]

In April 2019, Luitingh-Sijthoff published a book about the illustrious life of Kaspers. In "Een leven lang geleden" Kaspers tells that her life has not always been a fairy tale. Her youth was dominated by the aftermath of the World War II, and also life after "Dinge-dong" went with many ups and downs. Kasper's biography was written by Dave Boomkens, a Dutch writer who is known from books such as "Liesbeth List, de dochter van de vuurtorenwachter" and "Het Grote Songfestivalboek".

Discography

Singles
Songs in the Dutch Charts[21][22] Year of Appearance Chart Position Date of Entry Label Composer Notes
"Love Me"1976Top 40 (5 weeks)11/11/1976CNRJ. Gaasbeek, B. Baarslag
"I Am Ready" 1976 CNR D. McRonald, Dunhills B-Side to 'Love M'
"Mademoiselle (Mais Oui Je T'aime)"1977Top 40 (4 weeks)23/4/1977CNRDunhills, Mc. Ronald
"Believe Me"1977CNR J. Gaasbeek, B. Baarslag B-Side to 'Mademoiselle'
"Shelter Me"1977Top 40 (3 weeks)22/10/1977CNRDave Paul, Duncan Mackellar
"Fly With Me" 1977 CNR B. Baarslag, J. Gaasbeek B-Side to 'Shelter Me'
"I'm Alone"1977Top 40 (3 weeks)21/1/1978CNRD. Mc. Ronald, H. Waltheim, F. Rothman Artist listed as 'Getty and Teach-In'
"Ik Wil Je Liever Niet Weer Zien"1982PhilipsCath. Courage, H. P. de Boer
"Voor Jou, Voor Mij" 1982 Philips Ouwens, Stolk, G. den Braber B-Side to "Ik Wil Je Liever Niet Weer Zien"
"Madam"1982A&RCath. Courage, G. den Braber
"Weet Je Nog Wel" 1982 A&R Ouwens, Stolk, Waltheim B-Side to 'Madam'
"Vive Le Festival"1989CorduroyKaspers Instrumental also released
"Enschedé (C'est La Vie)"[23]2009VinylparadijsP. Paljet, T. Minor, L. Post
Kom Je Kijken (Papertown) 2009 Vinylparadijs Östlund, H. Barter, R. Barter, J. Twigt
"Jan Fortuin" 2010 Vinylparadijs F. Gaasbeek
"Manolito" 2010 Vinylparadijs H. Stott, H. P. De Boer, E. Ouwens

Albums
Album(s) in the Dutch Charts[22][3] Year of Appearance Chart Position Date of Entry Label Notes
"Getty"1982CBS

See also

References
  1. Dahlander, Gustav (6 March 2020). "De presenterar internationella juryns poäng i Melodifestivalen 2020-finalen". Melodifestivalen: Expertbloggen (in Swedish). SVT. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  2. "Getty Kaspers". IMDb.com.
  3. "Muziekencyclopedie - Getty". Muziekencyclopedie.nl.
  4. "Getty biografie". January 26, 2007. Archived from the original on January 26, 2007.
  5. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Acts (T)". Rock.co.za.
  6. "Teach-In - In The Summernight". Hitparade.ch.
  7. "DUTCH NATIONAL FINAL 1975". Natfinals.50webs.com.
  8. "Eurovision Song Contest : Netherlands 1975 : Teach-In, Ding-a-dong : ESC-History". Esc-history.com.
  9. "Teach-In - Ding-A-Dong". Hitparade.ch.
  10. "Teach-In - Goodbye Love". Hitparade.ch.
  11. "Nationaal Pop Instituut". March 19, 2005. Archived from the original on March 19, 2005.
  12. "Teach-In - Get On Board". Discogs.
  13. "Teach In* - Rose Valley". Discogs.
  14. "Rick van Der Linden, Rein van den Broek - Cum Laude". Discogs.
  15. "John Gaasbeek". Discogs.
  16. "Muziekencyclopedie - Balloon (1)". Muziekencyclopedie.nl.
  18. "Teach-In - Festival / Get On Board". Hitparade.ch.
  19. "Teach-In - Best Of Teach In". Hitparade.ch.
  21. "Getty - Believe Me". Swisscharts.com.
  22. "Getty discografie". January 20, 2007. Archived from the original on January 20, 2007.
  23. "Teach-in Getty mengt zich in liedjesdiscussie: 'Hé, dit is Enschede' uit 1982". [[Tubantia (newspaper)|]] (in Dutch). 2013-07-24. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
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