Kastelruther Spatzen

Kastelruther Spatzen
Kastelruther Spatzen (2016)
Background information
Origin	Kastelruth, South Tyrol, Italy
Genres	Folk music
Years active	1976–present
Website	www.kastelruther-spatzen.de
Members	Valentin Silbernagl Walter Mauroner Norbert Rier Albin Gross Karl Heufler Kurt Dasser Rüdiger Hemmelmann
Past members	Karl Schieder Oswald Sattler Ferdinand Rier Anton Rier Andreas Fulterer

The Kastelruther Spatzen are a musical group from South Tyrol, northern Italy, who have won many honours and awards for their schlager in folk music style. The first word in the name of the group refers to their home town of Kastelruth.

The Kastelruther Spatzen were formed in 1976 by Karl Schieder, Walter Mauroner, Valentin Silbernagl, Oswald Sattler, Ferdinand Rier and Anton Rier. Anton Rier left in 1977, and Norbert Rier joined as the drummer in 1979. Ferdinand Rier left in 1980 and was replaced by Albin Gross. In 1983, with this line-up, they released their first single, Das Mädchen mit den erloschenen Augen, which was awarded a golden disc.

In 1986, Karl Schieder left the group to pursue another career, and was replaced by Karl Heufler. In 1991 Rüdiger Hemmelmann joined the band as a drummer. In 1993, Oswald Sattler left for a solo career, and was replaced by Andreas Fulterer, who left five years later also for a solo career. He was then replaced by Kurt Dasser.

Karl Schieder is the founder of the Kastelruther Spatzen and played the baritone. In 1986 he left the band for personal reasons.

Valentin Silbernagl was born on 18 June 1956 in Kastelruth and played for eight years in the Musikkapelle Kastelruth before joining the Kastelruther Spatzen. He married in 1982 and has three children.

Walter Mauroner was born on 20 June 1956 in Bolzen and played for fifteen years in the Musikkapelle Kastelruth before joining the Kastelruther Spatzen, where he plays the trumpet. He married in 1984 and has two children. He is the owner of the fan shop, the Spatzenladen, in Kastelruth.

Oswald Sattler was born on 7 December 1957 in Kastelruth, and played guitar and sang with the Kastelruther Spatzen until he left them in 1993. He started a solo career in 1996, and has won the Grand Prix der Volksmusik once and the Goldene Stimmgabel twice. He sings with the group Die Bergkameraden and won the German national round of the Grand Prix der Volksmusik with them in 2009 to reach the final.

One of the original members of the Kastelruther Spatzen, Ferdinand Rier left the group in 1980 to start a family.

One of the original members of the Kastelruther Spatzen, Anton Rier was the first member to leave the group, in 1977.

Norbert Rier is the lead singer of the Kastelruther Spatzen. He was born on 14 April 1960, is married to Isabella and has four children, with two of whom he has recorded songs - Marion in 1994 and Andreas in 2004. He joined the Kastelruther Spatzen as drummer and singer in late 1979. In May 2006, his autobiography was published, Danke Fans! Die authentische Autobiographie des Kastelruther Spatzen Chefs, BLV Buchverlag, München 2006, . He is the uncle of Denise Karbon and Peter Fill.