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...