Fred Bertelmann

Fred Bertelmann (7 October 1925 – 22 January 2014) was a German singer and actor.

Bertelmann was born in Duisburg in the Ruhr area, the son of a chemical industry employee. Aged nine, he became a chorister and later also studied cello, trumpet, guitar and singing at the Nuremberg Conservatory. He also attended acting lessons at the UFA film studios.

In World War II, he fought in the Wehrmacht armed forces at the Western Front and became a US prisoner of war in 1944. He was sent to a camp in Alabama, where he first heard of swing music. After his release in May 1946, he returned to Bavaria, where he founded his own band and performed in American GI clubs in Füssen and in Landsberg am Lech. From 1947 onwards, he played together with conductor and composer Ernst Mosch, both even appeared in Bayerischer Rundfunk radio broadcasts. In 1950 Bertelmann toured Sweden with Arne Hülphers' orchestra and Zarah Leander. His career was further promoted by the successful record producer Michael Jary and Bertelmann's performances in the first television broadcasts of Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk (NWDR) in Hamburg from 1952. Here he met with Bibi Jones, both later recorded several duets.

Bertelmann also worked as a solo singer of numerous Schlager songs. His most popular song up to today is Der lachende Vagabund ("The laughing tramp"), published by Electrola in 1957, a cover version of Jim Lowe's song Gambler’s Guitar. The classic Wirtschaftswunder tune sold over two million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. It was itself covered in 1986 by the Finnish actor Vesa-Matti Loiri in his role as Jean-Pierre Kusela, whose song Naurava kulkuri likewise had a great success.

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