Since his debut in 1961, Rob de Nijs has developed from a shy 18-year-old young man into a confident and widely respected top artist. His fifty-year career is shaped by pure craftsmanship, cherished memories, beautiful songs, dozens of hits, and a remarkable musical history.
Bronchitis
Rob de Nijs was born on 26 December in the war year 1942 at Linneausstraat 72, on the second floor, in Amsterdam. Rob is the son of a driving school owner. In his youth, Rob learns to play the accordion and suffers greatly from asthmatic bronchitis. In 1958, Rob leaves the HBS for the cabaret school, where he takes evening classes from, among others, Henk van Ulsen, Bep Ogterop, and Frans Halsema. During the day, Rob works at a pottery and an insurance company. To earn some extra pocket money, he becomes a singer in his brother Bert's band.
Teen idol
In 1961, Rob joins The Lords. With them, he wins the final of the talent contest Tuk op Talent on 23 June 1962. The grand prize consists of a record contract for three singles. The first two are reasonably successful, but it is with the third single that things really take off. Because with a translation of the American hit single 'Rhythm Of The Rain', Rob scores a huge hit together with The Lords. 'Ritme Van De Regen' is the first in a nice series of hits, including 'Hé Mamma' and 'Trees'. Rob grows into a teen idol with his own TV series at Vara. In 1965, he breaks away from The Lords to continue as a solo artist. Together with another Amsterdam teenage star, Johnny Lion, Rob frequently performs in Tony Boltini's circus tent. But as is the fate of most teen idols, Rob's fame proves fleeting. His fans find new idols and he fades into obscurity.
De Groot & Nijgh
After experimenting with blues and jazz rock, Rob joins Sieto Hoving's cabaret in 1969. A year later, he plays the role of professional footballer Bello Billy Biggelaar in the TV series Oebele, followed by Bertram Bierenbroodspot in the TV series Kunt U Mij De Weg Naar Hamelen Vertellen, Meneer? In 1973, Rob seems to have found his way again. He scores hits with 'Jan Klaassen De Trompetter', 'Dag Zuster Ursula', and 'Malle Babbe', all three written for him by Boudewijn de Groot and Lennaert Nijgh. In 1974, the then 32-year-old Rob is chosen by the readers of Muziek Express as the most promising national singer. They were right.
Belinda
In 1980, Rob comes into contact with Gerard Stellaard, a meeting that leads to an important turning point in his career. Rob becomes an interpreter of the serious listening song. With Stellaard as producer, he records the LP Met Je Ogen Dicht, of which more than 100,000 copies are sold. After this success, successful albums follow such as De Regen Voorbij (1981), Roman (1983), Pur Sang (1985), Vrije Val (1986), and De Reiziger (1989). Many lyrics on these albums are written by Belinda Meuldijk, whom he marries in 1984 and with whom he has two sons.
Knight Rob
After the single 'Alles Wat Ademt' stalled at second place in 1985, Rob finally scores his very first number 1 hit in 1996. More than thirty years after his debut, he reaches the top of the national charts with the song 'Banger Hart'. Four years later, Rob is knighted by Queen Beatrix for his great services to Dutch music. A proud Knight Rob works with Belinda Meuldijk on what is to be his magnum opus: an album about children called Engelen Uitgezonderd. The accompanying single 'Abeer' is written on behalf of UNICEF to accompany a documentary about child soldiers in Sudan.
Bach
In 2001, Rob is awarded the Radio 2 Airtime Prize, on the occasion of which dozens of artists pay him a musical tribute. At the end of 2005, Belinda and Rob announce their divorce. Belinda continues to write lyrics for him. In 2008, Rob celebrates his 45th anniversary and the fact that he has turned 65. He does this together with the Metropole Orchestra during a jubilee concert in a sold-out Carré Amsterdam. A few months later, Rob marries his girlfriend Henriëtte Koetschruiter. In 2009, Rob sings classical pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach's St Matthew Passion with a number of well-known Dutch artists. That same year, he is a special guest during the concerts given by the Toppers in the Amsterdam ArenA.
Golden anniversary
At the end of 2010, Rob releases an album daring for him, called Eindelijk Vrij. On this CD, largely recorded in New Orleans, he ventures into bluesy pop songs specially written for him by, among others, Daniël Lohues, Joost Nuissl, Jack Poels (Rowwen Hèze), and Huub van der Lubbe and Nico Arzbach (De Dijk). Also in 2011, Rob tours Dutch and Flemish theatres with his band Pur Sang. During his new theatre tour, he sings a good number of songs from his latest album, supplemented with – how could it be otherwise – his greatest hits from the past fifty years. On 25 May 2011, Rob celebrates his golden artist anniversary with a special concert in Carré Amsterdam.
Farewell
In the summer of 2002, the singer said goodbye to his Dutch fans with a performance in the Ziggo Dome. It was the last time Rob held the microphone. "I haven't sung since then, no. But the black hole everyone was so afraid of has not appeared. Not for nothing is my last album called: Het is mooi geweest." Thus the Parkinson's sufferer Rob de Nijs.
Top 2000
In the 23rd edition of the Top 2000, Rob de Nijs is listed with the following entries:
Sunday Morning Classic
On 11 December 2022, Rob de Nijs took our Sunday Morning Classic stage with his album Vrije Val from 1986. We chose this album because of the wonderfully beautiful song “Open Einde”. Rob de Nijs describes “Open Einde” as a comforting song that has given him a lot of support in processing the loss of his father. Like a large part of his repertoire, the words for the song were written by his then wife and writing partner Belinda Meuldijk.
On this album, Rob takes it very easy (almost too easy), but with a 'fashionable' drum sound which this kind of chanson-like pop naturally does not need. The repertoire is very similar to that of Frank Boeijen.
Ontmoeting is a cover of Could It Be Magic (by Barry Manilow, better known from Donna Summer) and Je Bleef Bij Me is a cover of Always On My Mind (better known from Elvis Presley, Brenda Lee, Willie Nelson and the Pet Shop Boys).
Source: NPO Photo: Raymond Nieuwenburg and public domain
