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RIP Johnny Lion Gisteren is Johnny Lion overleden, de zanger die in de jaren zestig vooral bekend werd met zijn hit ‘Sophietje’. Johnny Lion, het pseudoniem van John van Leeuwarden, leed al geruime tijd aan alzheimer en longkanker. Hij is 77 jaar geworden. Johnny Lion begon zijn carrière in de Haagse band Johnny & His Jewels (bekend geworden als Johnny & The Jumping Jewels). In 1961 scoorde de formatie een nummer 1-hit met ‘Wheels’. In 1965 ging hij solo verder en brak hij door bij het grote publiek met de hit ‘Sophietje’, een ode aan zijn toenmalige vriendin Sophie van Kleef. Later scoorde hij hits als Tjingeling en Alleen in Lion was niet alleen zanger, maar ook schrijver en acteur. Zijn overlijden is bekendgemaakt door Rob de Nijs, die net als Johnny Lion in Circus Boltini optrad. Vorig jaar was de zanger nog aanwezig bij het jubileumconcert van De Nijs: “Vanavond kwam het trieste bericht dat John na een periode van ziekte is komen te overlijden. John”, aldus De Nijs op Facebook. Dit optreden komt uit het Grand Gala du Disque 1963, opgenomen door AVRO TV op 12 oktober 1963. Wij plaatsen deze video als een eerbetoon aan Johnny Lion. Yesterday Johnny Lion, the Dutch singer who became famous in the sixties with his hit ’Sophietje’ died in the age of 77. Johnny Lion, pseudonym of John van Leeuwarden, had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and lung cancer for some time now. Johnny Lion started his career in The Hague band Johnny & His Jewels (known as Johnny & The Jumping Jewels). In 1961 the formation scored a number 1 hit with ’Wheels’. In 1965 he continued solo and broke through to the general public with the hit ’Sophietje’, an ode to his former girlfriend Sophie van Kleef. Later he scored hits like ‘Tjingeling’ and ‘Alone in Dallas’. This TV recording was made and broadcast by AVRO on 12 October1963 at the Grand Gala du Disque. The song was written by Les Reed and Mitch Murray and was a hit for British singer Doug Sheldon in the UK in 1963. With this video we pay hommage today to this popular Dutch singer Watch our great music videos ❯ More TopPop? Subscribe here ❯ More info on Wikipedia ❯ Broadcast date: 12 October 1963 This is to let you know that the video recording of the video clip was originally recorded by AVROTROS Broadcasting. AVROTROS Broadcasting hereby warrants and represents that it is the sole and exclusive owner of the physical film and/or videotape footage in this video clip. The performance of the artist(s) in the clip was filmed and recorded with the written consent of the artist(s) and their representatives. AVROTROS is a Dutch radio and television broadcaster, founded in 2014 from a merger of AVRO and TROS. From January 1st, 2014 the name of the merged broadcaster was used in joint programmes. AVRO was founded in 1923 as the Netherlands first public broadcaster. TROS started broadcasting in 1964. Toppop was a weekly AVRO pop program that was aired between 1970 and 1988. AVROTROS Broadcasting PO Box 2 1200 JA Hilversum The Netherlands TopPop was the first regular dedicated pop music TV show in the Dutch language area. Dutch broadcaster AVRO aired the programme weekly, from 1970 to 1988. Presenter Ad Visser hosted the show for its first fifteen years. World famous music artists performed on TopPop: ABBA, 10CC, Bee Gees, The Jacksons, David Bowie, Earth & Fire, Boney M, Smokie, KC & The Sunshine Band, Chick, Donna Summer, Rod Stewart, and many many more.
