Bles Bridges

Bles Bridges (22 July 1947 – 24 March 2000). He was born Lawrence John Gabriel Bridges, but became known as Bles Bridges. His Irish granddad called him Bles, because he has very thin hair from an early age. He was a much loved South African singer.

He released his first album in 1982, Onbekende Weermagman (Unknown Soldier). His professional career began in 1984, with the release of his second album, BLES which went gold in under a month (25,000 copies) and included Maggie, one of his most loved songs. It sold twice that by the time his third album was released. At the time of his death, he sold more than one and a half million albums (records and CDs).

Soon Bles Bridges began alternating between an Afrikaans and English language album, to great acclaim. He also began working with Eurovision South Africa. In 2000, he began recording an album with Patricia Lewis. Their first song (and last song as it turned out, as he died within a week of finishing the song) was "The First Kiss Goodnight" by Dennis East; it was recorded on March 21, 2000.

In the 1980s he held a concert in support of the AWB Volkhulpskema (People's Help Scheme) which raised 10,000 Rand (he was there as an artist, not by personal belief).

He had cancer during the eighties and gave mildly to charity after his recovery, for cancer research etc.

His wife, Leonie was his soundengineer and the composer and/or songwriter of most of his songs, including most of his biggest hits, including "MAGGIE" and "I AM THE EAGLE, YOU'RE THE WIND" among others.

His biggest hit was "I AM THE EAGLE, YOU'RE THE WIND" which was released in 1986.

He loved life and roses, and he gave roses to the front audience members (women) at all his concerts.

His career highlight was when he performed to a soldout "SUPERBOWL" at SUN CITY, becoming the first Afrikaans artist to do so, as feature artist on 14 and 15 May 1987.

Bles died in a car accident on 24 March 2000. He left his wife, Leonie and children Sunette and Victor behind. More than 7000 mourners turned up for his funeral to bid Bles farewell.

""'Albums Released (Records and CDs)"

"ONBEKENDE WEERMAGMAN" - 1982

"BLES" - 1984

"UIT DIE BOONSTE RAKKE" - 1985

"VIR EEN EN ALMAL" - 1986

"I AM THE EAGLE, YOU'RE THE WIND" - 1986

"REIK NA DIE STERRE" - 1987

"FIGHT FOR LOVE" - 1987

"LAAT MY LEWE, LAAT MY LIEFHê" - 1988

"ONS EERSTE ONTMOETING" - 1989

"NOG 'N NUWE DAG" - 1989

"THE DEVIL AND THE SONG" - 1989

"LET ME LOVE YOU" - 1990

"BACK ON MY FEET AGAIN" - 1991

"SOOS NOOIT TEVORE" - 1992

"AM I THAT EASY TO FORGET" - 1993

"ONE DANCE WITH YOU" - 1994

"GROOTSTE TREFFERS" - 1994

"SPROETJIES KOM TERUG" - 1995

"LOVE AND ROSES - MY GREATEST HITS" - 1996

"DIE HART VAN MY MOEDER" - 1997

"SWEEF SOOS 'N AREND" - 1998

"CLASSICS MY WAY" - 1998

"COUNTRY MY WAY" - 1999

"GOUE & PLATINUM TREFFERS DEUR DIE JARE HEEN - 2000"

"MôRE BRING 'N NUWE DAG - 2000"

"GOUE & PLATINUM TREFFERS DEUR DIE JARE HEEN (Vol II) - 2000"'(Was released on the 26th September 2000)

"He released two videos:"

"IN SEARCH OF LOVE"

"OP TOER MET BLES" (ON TOUR WITH BLES)

He also starred in a movie in 1989 called "THE DEVIL AND THE SONG"