July 2000 - Nr. 7
Freddie Holland
at the Danube Swabian Club
Ulli Jeschke, well known radio personality, emceed the event and explained some of Freddie’s history to the audience:
Apparently
Freddie was discovered by his uncle, who had given the boy a job cleaning
his bar, and accidentally noticed the boy’s talent for singing. He engaged
him to sing at the bar during slow nights that turned into major
attractions. After only two weeks of "packing the joint" Freddy
was spirited away to another St. Pauli (Reeperbahn – Hamburg) nightclub
full time with a substantial raise in pay.
A year later Freddie hit the road. Canada was first, where he was booked on weekends in various German Clubs across the country.
In 1960 – in a VW Beetle with a friend – Freddie embarked on a road trip that led them through the US, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
When
they ran low on funds, the friend returned to Germany but Freddie was
determined to carry on and took a job with a Swiss Lumber company in the
jungle of Honduras, repairing a huge lumber-processing machine. Close
contact with the native people had engendered in him an intense affection
for the customs, language and the happy music of those regions and soon an
idea planted in childhood began to bear fruit. In Mexico City, Freddie heard
the Mariachi music for the first time in a garden restaurant and promptly
fell in love with it.
Freddie has performed in many places since then and now divides his time between Germany, Canada, Los Angeles in the US and Southern Mexico, where he maintains a home and an adopted Mexican son in Guadalajara.
In 1996 cut his first record with a Mariachi Band and songs he translated into German. His CD "Mexico mi amor" is being played in various radio stations in the Southern US and in Mexico.
His
songs – some were accompanied by the audience – and his stand-up comedy
were really appreciated by the audience at the club and ravenously
applauded. Klein-Erna has always also been one of my favourites.
Great evening – great entertainment – two thumbs up! - r.k.a.
Comments to: dick@echoworld.com
