From Best With Luv'...

Photo edited by Co Rnz

Two days ago, Dutch comedian and singer Rob Kemps won the final of De Slimste Mens (The Smartest Person), a TV quiz on KRO-NCRV/NPO 2. The program attracted 3.260.000 viewers (market share: 37.4%) and was Holland's most-watched TV show on January 22nd according to Dutch audience measurement company Stichting KijkOnderzoek.

Rob Kemps: winner of De Slimste Mens

Rob Kemps is the frontman of the highly popular party band Snollebollekes that has already scored 10 hits on the Dutch Single Top 100 and one single on the Flemish Ultratop since 2013. The Snollebollekes album entitled "...En Door" also reached the Dutch Album Top 100 and the Flemish Ultratop 200 albums chart in 2017. 

Snollebollekes on Dutch charts

Snollebollekes on Flemish charts

Snollebollekes won several Party Awards and peaked at #1 on both the Verrückte Top 538 on Radio 538 and the Q-Music Top 500 Van Het Foute Uur. 

But their biggest achievements are their huge live shows. In 2019, Snollebollekes managed to sell out their GelreDome concerts in Arnhem within 20 minutes. Due to the rapid sale of 60,000 tickets, Snollebollekes were the first Dutch party band to receive a star on the GelreDome Walk Of Fame. 

In the same year, they were one of the guest stars during two mega concerts of De Toppers (a supergroup consisting of René Froger, Gerard Joling, Jeroen van der Boom and Jan Smit) at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam. In the autumn, they plan to perform at the GelreDome again.

Rob Kemps and De Toppers (Jeroen van der Boom, Gerard Joling, René Froger and Jan Smit)

Snollebollekes during De Toppers show (2019)

Why do I mention Rob Kemps on my blog? The young entertainer is originally from Best, a small town in North Brabant near Eindhoven. Former Luv' singer José Hoebee was also born in Best and still lives there. Her son used to be a schoolmate of Rob. In late 2019, the songstress posed with the leader of Snollebollekes and his music publisher Robin Logjes as well as Luv's producer Hans van Hemert for a photograph at the Quatre Bras restaurant in Best. 

Rob Kemps, José Hoebee, Robin Logjes and Hans van Hemert on November 4th, 2019 at Quatre Bras

At the time, Luv' had already interrupted their activities due to José's ill health. Earlier that year, on May 18th, 2019, the ladies shared the stage with Snollebollekes during the "Boulevard op Stelten" party in Harderwijk, the Netherlands. 

Luv' @ Boulevard op Stelten - Photos by David Hay Gibson

The Luv' singers were supposed to perform again with Snollebollekes at the Velohal in Wateringen, the Netherlands on April 20th, 2020. But Luv' stopped in February 2020 after it remained uncertain when the group could return to the stage. The concert was eventually cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Poster of the cancelled show featuring Snollebollekes, Roy Donders and Luv'

Best is the place where José as a youngster dreamt of being a renowned singer. Here's what she told American author James Arena in his book "Stars of 80s Dance Pop - The European Edition" published in 2015 and reissued in 2018: "When I was six years old, my father said he realized I would be an artist of some kind. He was right. I was never going to be a nine-to-five girl. As a child, I would sing in the house with the windows open - I suppose I was hoping some manager or producer would hear me. That didn't happen, so I began singing folk and rock.."

When she was 15 years old, José made her debut in a folk & country band (Young Tradition) with her two sisters (Marijke and Yvonne) and her best friend Ad van Genechten. The group toured the folk circuit in North Brabant inspired by the music of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Donovan.

Photo edited by Co Rnz

Young Tradition (Yvonne, José, Marijke & Ad)

In 1971, they were discovered by record producer Piet Souer on a talent show "Het cabaret der onbekenden" (the cabaret of the unknowns) in Eindhoven. One year later, Young Tradition took part in a TV talent show "Nieuwe Oogst" (New Harvest) on AVRO channel and they finished second.

In 1976, José, Marijke and Yvonne formed a new group named after the first single they recorded with Piet Souer: "Elongi". It was a cover version of a classic of Makossa and World Music initially performed by Cameroonian singer Ekambi Brillant in 1975.

Elongi (José, Marijke & Yvonne)

Shortly after that, Souer asked José to join a girl group he was forming with Hans van Hemert: Luv'. The two other members were Marga Scheide and Patty Brard. Between 1977 and 1981, Luv' scored hit after hit (including You're the Greatest, Trojan Horse, Casanova and Ooh, Yes I Do) in Continental Europe and beyond. In 1979, Luv' were "Holland's best export act". In August 1980, Patty Brard was replaced by Ria Thielsch. In early March 1981, Luv' disbanded after selling 7 million records worldwide and earning 15 gold and platinum awards. The group later made several comebacks and went through line-up changes. 

Luv's original trio: José Hoebee, Marga Scheide & Patty Brard (1977)

In late 1981, José went solo. Between 1982 and 1985, she scored her biggest hits with cover versions of pop standards on the Dutch and Flemish charts. Her version of Little Peggy March's I Will Follow Him hit the number one spot in the Low Countries in July 1982 and sold 100.000 copies. The follow-up single "Secret Love" (a cover version of Doris Day's hit) peaked at #11 on the Dutch Top 40 and #3 on the BRT Top 30 in Belgium in the autumn of 1982. 

In late 1983, José and TV personality  Ron Brandsteder recorded "So Long, Marianne". Their version of this Leonard Cohen's classic reached #6 on the Nationale Hitparade, #11 on the Dutch Top 40 and #20 on the BRT Top 30.

In the summer of 1984, José experienced a new phase in her career. She formed with her longtime friend Bonnie St. Claire a duo known as "Bonnie & José". The ladies recorded Dutch cover versions of ABBA songs  Their first collaboration was "Cassandra" (#24 on the Dutch Top 40 and #19 on the Nationale Hitparade). In July 1985, "Zoals Vrienden Doen" (the cover of ABBA's The Way Old Friends Do) by Bonnie & José reached #36 on the Dutch Top 40 and #18 on the Nationale Hitparade. It became the signature song of the duo. In the autumn of 1985, Bonnie & José released an album entitled "Herinnering". This LP was recently reissued on CD and DVD. 

In spite of her career with Luv' and her solo projects, José always remained close to her best friend Ad. After Young Tradition, Ad formed the folk band Dommelvolk with Bert Spin (accordion, harmonium), Steeph Custers (violin, vocals) and Jitze Kopinga (double bass, guitar, vocals). The group was active between 1977 and 1984. It was reformed in 2000 and performed sporadically until 2015. José sang with Dommelvolk on several occasions. 

José & Ad

After the death of record producer Will Hoebee (José's husband) in 2012, Ad was a great comfort to the ex-Luv' lady. After leaving her apartment in Lommel, Belgium, José moved to Hilversum (Holland's media city) and became Ad's neighbour. On April 17th, 2015, Ad died. José decided to move back to Best. 

In the meantime, she reunited with Marga Scheide and Ria Thielsch to relaunch Luv'. The ladies toured the nostalgia circuit successfully in the Netherlands and Belgium. British born entrepreneur David Hay Gibson (who settled down in Best with his husband Leon) became Luv's tour manager.

Luv' and David in Spain in June 2018

Prior to his collaboration with the pop trio, David and Leon became extremely involved in Best after starting up their company, “Van Diepen Gibson druk & vormgeving” in the mid-1980s. They set up a tennis tournament which then became the “Van Diepen Gibson Open Dubbel Toernooi” which was held yearly. They also sponsored the annual Carnival in Best. David was asked to join the Carnival Federation in Best to help improve the “podium presentation” of the yearly Prince and select and arrange the costumes. He also sponsored and helped bring the 2nd leg of the "Tour De France" to and through Best in 1996. David and Leon were members of the “Best Business Club”. In 1997, they received the "citizen’s award for services to the community". In 2004, they were awarded the “Business Men Of The Year Award” for their contribution to business in Best.

David & José during Luv' fan club day in Best in 2019

Photos by David Hay Gibson

In 2017, Luv' chose the Quatre Bras restaurant in Best to held a big party with fans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Holland's first girl group. 

Luv' celebrating their 40th anniversary (2017)

Two years later, after Chimène van Oosterhout replaced Ria Thielsch, Luv' chose Quatre Bras once again to organize another fan club meeting to reveal their new single, the reggaeton track "With Him Tonight" recorded in Miami, Fl. 

Luv' at their fan club meeting in Quatre Bras (2019 - photo by Ruud Cremers)

In addition to Rob Kemps and José Hoebee, two other singers born in Best reached fame in the Netherlands: the former child stars, brothers Rick and Ralf Mackenbach. In the 2000s and 2010s, Rick appeared in TV series, films and musicals. 

Rick Mackenbach

Ralf won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2009. He also took part in the celebrity figure skating competition "Sterren Dansen op het IJs" and the diving competition "Sterren Springen" (aka Celebrity Splash) on SBS6.

Ralf Mackenbach

Ralf is now a talented scientist. After he graduated secondary school with a VWO certificate, he studied at the TU Eindhoven. In 2019, he finished a master's degree in nuclear fusion, for which he wrote the dissertation "Numerical modelling of mode penetration in cylindrical geometries using M3D-C1". In 2020, he officially became a nuclear physicist.

David Hay Gibson is a good friend of Rick and Ralf's parents. He even accompanied the Mackenbach family in Kiev for the finals of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

Rob, José, David, Rick, Ralf...So much talent in this little Dutch town called Best!!!

Source: Luv' and José weblogs archives, Co Rnz, José Hoebee's Fan Page (Facebook), Jos Theuns, David Hay Gibson, Televizier, SKO, Dutchcharts.nl, Ultratop, James Arena...

Herinnering (2020 edition) by Bonnie & José mentioned on Winq.nl and NPO Radio 5

The recent reissue of Herinnering, the 1985 iconic album by Bonnie St. Claire and José Hoebee (including ABBA songs performed in Dutch) has recently been mentioned on the website of the Dutch gay lifestyle magazine Winq.nl. Click here to read the article about Bonnie & José's LP considered as a "guilty pleasure". 

Photo edited by Co Rnz

Yesterday, José gave a phone interview on Volgspot, a program hosted by Astrid de Jong on KRO-NCRV/NPO Radio 5 to promote the new edition of Herinnering. "Bonnie and I are friends. We spent ski holidays with our husbands in Austria. Bonnie and I were singing The Way Old Friends Do by ABBA accompanied on guitar. My husband, Will, who was a record producer, said that our voices blended very well together," José explained. When asked who sang Frida and Agnetha's part, the singer answered: "It's funny. Bonnie is blonde so she was supposed to sing Agneta's part and I am dark-haired so I should have sung Frida's part. But it didn't happen this way. Bonnie's voice is close to Frida's vocals. My voice is close to Agneta's one". The ex-Luv' lady also discussed the TV special in Sweden that is included on the DVD. Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA appeared on this show to congratulate Bonnie & José on their LP. José told she was proud of the re-release thanks to Franklin van Liempt's initiative. After the interview, Ligt Dat Aan Jou Of Aan Mij (the Dutch cover of ABBA's Why Did It Have To Be Me) was played.

Click here to listen to the interview with José.

Source: Winq.nl, NPO Radio 5

José Hoebee in Weekend: Looking for new opportunities!!

The latest issue of Weekend magazine features an article about José Hoebee. The singer has been sick for nearly one year and a half. Her ill health caused the interruption of Luv's activities (see news posted on February 7th, 2020). Several articles related to her bad shape have been published in the tabloid press. 

However, the former Luv' singer remains positive. "The new year makes me happy. A new beginning with new opportunities. I want a healthier year. Hopefully, it will happen in 2021. It will be so nice when we go to cafes and restaurants again and the coronavirus is over. Everybody gets bored now. Fortunately, I like to watch movies. I've frequently met friends in the neighbourhood. I walk a couple of times a week in the woods with my dog and a dear friend of mine. I enjoy my life in North Brabant. I don't want to go back to Hilversum. This is where I lost my best friend. I knew him from Best since I was 15 years old. He lived in the same building and he died several years ago. I have no reason to go back to the Gooi," José tells. 

The recent reissue of Herinnering (José's album with Bonnie St. Claire including ABBA songs in Dutch) is also mentioned in this article. This initiative was possible due to a crowdfunding campaign launched by Franklin van Liempt. José misses Bonnie. "I haven't talked to her for a while. Why I'm not in touch with her at the moment? You have to ask Bonnie. She is still one of my best friends. I spent so many nice moments with her. I miss her calls and Whatsapp messages," she explains. 

José doesn't exclude the possibility of performing with Bonnie again. "Never say never. Now it's not possible due to the coronavirus. We also stopped our live shows with Luv' last year. We could have continued but Marga and I are 66," she says. As for Bonnie, José considers things differently. "It's another music genre. When I sang with Luv', our costumes were important. We often wore petticoats. But I think that we can't go on like that eternally. Marga agrees with me. We are in touch daily. She is my best friend. We've been through a lot of things for 43 years," José adds. 

Three songs from Herinnering entered the Dutch charts: Cassandra, Zoals Vrienden Doen and Waarom. Ron Brandsteder wrote the lyrics of Waarom and also contributed to the recording of this song as a narrator. "He has a warm voice. He knew how to write good lyrics and he was very popular at the time. So it was a win-win situation for us. When Ron was married to Patty Brard who was part of Luv', he attended our shows. He often made me laugh. I also performed the duet So Long Marianne with him. He always protected me. He made sure that men couldn't approach me. He was like a big brother to me, "José asserts.

Click on the images to enlarge them:

Source: Weekend, José Hoebee's Fan Page (Facebook)

José Hoebee in "Privé" and on "Spotlight!"

* The latest issue of Privé magazine features a short interview with José Hoebee conducted by Jan Uriot. The singer discusses the recent reissue of her album with Bonnie St. Claire on CD/DVD (including Dutch cover versions of ABBA songs).

Here's the English translation:

Jan Uriot: How is the sale of your new album including covers of ABBA songs?

José: Beyond expectations. It is the re-release of an LP that Bonnie St. Claire and I recorded in 1985. We didn't choose the most famous ABBA hits. Instead, we sang lesser-knows songs from the repertoire of the Swedish supergroup. I'm so happy for producer Franklin van Liempt. He's been busy for four years with this project and launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance it. In England and America, small independent labels license albums from major record companies to reissue them. In the Netherlands, such projects never happen. That's why it took a while before the CD came out.

Jan Uriot: Your husband Will was also involved in this album, right?

José: Absolutely! Will started with the production of two singles. This CD album is special to me. Will wanted quality. We worked very well on this project. He wanted the best Dutch lyricists. That's why Hans Vermeulen and Benny Neyman joined us. Harry van Hoof was in charge of the arrangements. Our work paid off because we scored two hits on the charts: Cassandra and Zoals Vrienden Doen. Now the whole album is available on CD. Ron Brandsteder wrote the foreword for the booklet.

Click on the image to enlarge it:

Source: Privé, José Hoebee Fan Page (Facebook)

* On December 30th, Anton van Stekelenburg-Poirters paid tribute to José's music on his radio show "Spotlight!" on Dit is Helmond. Click here to listen to the program. The playlist consisted of hits (incl. I Will Follow Him, Secret Love, So Long Marianne, Zoals Vrienden Doen) and lesser-known songs (incl. Mother Of The Hearts, Should I Be Lonely, A Reason For Falling In Love...). 

The show included a short audio message recorded by José. "I wish all the listeners of Anton's show Spotlight a happy New Year 2021. I hope to see you next year. Stay safe!" the singer said.

Complete playlist:

Source: José Hoebee Fan Page + Spotlight! (Facebook), Dit is Helmond