Jimmy Zambo

Jimmy Zámbó, "the King" (January 20, 1958 born Imre Zámbó - January 2, 2001) was a was Hungarian pop singer.

Career

Jimmy started his singing career in the Hungarian State Radio Children's Choir.

Between 1982 and 1986 he worked in the US on the club circuit before returning to Hungary. His breakthrough came in the early 1990s when Zambo was voted Hungary's singer of the year in 1993.

His 2000 album "Christmas With Jimmy" had been Hungary's top-selling record for many weeks before his death. All his albums have gone platinum.

Between March 2000 and his death he hosted his own popular show on commercial TV station RTL-Klub.

Death

Jimmy died in January 2001 by a gunshot wound to the head. Budapest police said that he had leaned out of a window and fired two shots from his 9mm Beretta at a neighbor's rooster whose crowing was disturbing his sleep, in an effort to scare it away. Then, to show his wife that there were no more bullets in the gun, he put it to his head and pulled the trigger. There was a bullet still in the chamber.

He had taken alcohol, though not an excessive amount. No drugs were found in his body. It was ruled as an accidental death.

The bizarre story of his death continued with reports that his hair had been stolen from the hospital where his body was being stored [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1106288.stm BBC]

References

Obituary from the [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1098953.stm BBC]

A Hungarian view, in English, of [http://hungaryinenglish.blogspot.com/2007/01/tragic-and-controversial-life-of-king.html The King]

An essay reflecting on his life and status in his [http://www.ce-review.org/01/2/csardas2.html Home Country] , giving full details of his death.