Johnny Lion Dutch Pop Singer Has Passed Away: A Tribute

Another sad news piece for this blog. It's a fact that 60's music makers are now biting the dust. 

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Johnny van Leeuwarden, Dutch pop singer who was with the guitar group  Jumping Jewels, had passed away on Thursday, January end, 2019. He made a hit in his country with Sophietje. He also was known for Wheels, All In Dallas. In Singapore, he did many popular covers like Devil Woman, Judy and Let's Make a Habit of It.

1.) 
Mr. Stephen Han, 
who often writes for this blog, obligingly returned me an SMS when he heard the news. Here is Mr. Han's tribute to the handsome star:

"I'm sure every music lover appreciates the song, Teenage Senorita. This pop hit was on top of our Singapore radio chart and the singer was Johnny Lion. He was accompanied on this recording by the Jumping Jewels.

Johnny Lion with JUDY recorded on vinyl in the mid-sixties. THANKS TO YOUTUBE.

I was extremely excited when they came to Singapore to perform at the Odeon Cinema in 1964. I missed the first show because I was late and my brothers invited instead our pretty lady neighbor.  Somehow, I managed to purchase a ticket for the next day's show.  These Dutchmen didn't let us down. They put up a really good performance and I enjoyed every song Johnny sang.

They came again together to Singapore in 2005. This time around they sang and played instrumental numbers in a concert at Suntec City. The particular show also featured Riem De Wolff of the Blue Diamonds. So many years later but they all performed just as well if not better.

Johnny Lion is gone now. May he Rest In Peace." 

(Thanks so much for the tribute, Mr. Stephen Han. I am sure readers will appreciate it to remember this singer.) 

Johnny Lion had been sick for some time and died of lung cancer. He also had Alzheimer's disease and was 77 years young.

With the passing away of Lion, the very famous foursome from the Netherlands, that included Anneke Gronloh, Ruud and Riem de Wolff are now just memories and recorded songs and pictures.

Condolences to his family.

2) 
Mrs. Daisy Koh
was still a schoolgirl in uniform when they tried to meet JL and JJ. Here's her tribute. 

"I was at the Goodwood where JL and the JJ were staying. I was not allowed to go out at night then. We schoolgirls invaded the Goodwood... back then hotel security wasn't that tight. 

Armed with flowers and love notes we hung around in the hotel corridor. Excitement reached its peak when we saw the freshly laundered jackets with the initials JJ embroidered in gold on their pockets. We slipped love notes in their pockets and left flowers at the door before we left reluctantly. 

Crazy schoolgirls. 

Johnny Lion and the Jumping Jewels were big time then,  in Holland like the Beatles in England."

RIP Johnny Lion.

Other Connections: 

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2014/05/johnny-lion-jumping-jewels-record.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/08/johnny-lion-jumping-jewels-in-singapore.html

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Images: Google.

He made a hit in his country with the Dutch song Sophietje.

Above- Sweet for my Sweet in Singapore.