Hans van Hemert

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Hans van Hemert
Background = non_performing_personnel
Born = birth date and age|1945|4|7|mf=y
Origin = Netherlands
Genre = Pop
Occupation = Songwriter, producer
Years_active = 1965–present
Label =
Associated_acts = Luv', Mouth & McNeal, American Gypsy
URL = [http://www.hansvanhemert.nl www.hansvanhemert.nl]

Hans van Hemert (born April 7 1945 in Voorburg, Netherlands) is a Dutch ASCAP award winning music producer and songwriter. Mouth & MacNeal and Luv' are among the greatest pop acts he produced. Moreover, he composed three songs for the Eurovision Song Contest.

His debut

He started his career in 1965 when he worked at Phonogram Records (a record label founded by the Philips group, inventor of the Compact Disc; then, this record company was part of PolyGram which became Universal Music in 1998). His relationship with Phonogram lasted until 1979.

He produced and/or (co-)wrote records for pop acts such as Q65, The Motions, Ro-d-ys, Zen, Group 1850, Big Wheel, Somerset, Ramses Shaffy & Liesbeth List, Sandra & Andres, American Gypsy, Vulcano.

Mouth & Mcneal

Among the bands Van Hemert worked with: Mouth & Mc Neal.This duo scored big hits not only in their homeland but also abroad between 1971 and 1974:

* "Hey You Love" (a Dutch Top 5 [ Dutch Top 40/ [http://www.radio538.nl/top40.html Stichting Nederlandse Top 40] ] single in 1971)
* "How Do You Do" (this single was a Dutch #1 hit in 1971 but also a German Top 5 [ [http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php Musikmarkt/Media Control] ] hit and US Top 10 Hit in 1972 when it reached the 8th position of the Billboard Hot 100 Charts.)
* "Hello-a" (a #1 Hit in Holland and Germany in 1972)
* "Ik Zie Een Ster"/"I See A Star" (a Dutch and English Top 10 hit, this song was chosen to represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 (the year ABBA won it) and become third).

Luv'

Then came Luv' (1977–1981), a female pop trio he formed with the help from Piet Souer and a manager, Han Meijer (later replaced by Pim Ter Linde). This girl group had popular chart toppers in large part of Continental Europe, South Africa and Mexico. Among their greatest hit singles: U.O.Me, You're the Greatest Lover, Trojan Horse, Casanova and Ooh, Yes I Do. Until 1981, this formation sold seven million records (singles and albums) [Total record sales mentionned at page 10 of CD booklet of "25 Jaar Na Waldolala" written by Skip Voogd] .

Eurovision Song Contest

In addition to Mouth & Mac Neal, he wrote two others Eurovision songs: "Als het om liefde gaat" by Sandra & Andres (#4 in 1972) and "The Party's Over" by Sandra Reemer (#9 in 1976).

Later career

In 1988, Van Hemert composed and produced Wij houden van Oranje, one of the greatest Dutch football-soccer song.In the beginning of the 2000s, he created an independent music production company ("Hans van Hemert Productions"). In April 2005, Luv' made a surprise showcase at his 40 year business anniversary and 60th birthday.Then, he formed another girl group: Blinq Inc. In the spring of 2006, his production team remixed "Trojan Horse" by Luv' (which was included in the Box set entitled Completely In Luv' (released by Universal Music Netherlands). Two years later, he produced and wrote a digital single for Mother and Father's day, De allerliefste mama en papa performed by his daughter Hannah and his grand daughter Britt [ [http://www.allerliefstemamapapa.nl/nl/home Official site of the Van Hemert's song: De Allerliefste Mama en Papa] ] .

The eight #1 hit in the Dutch Top 40

Eight of his productions/compositions were #1 hits in the Netherlands (some of them world hits too):

* "Hair" by Zen (1968)
* "Mijn Gebed" by DC Lewis (1970)
* "How Do You Do" and "Hello-a" by Mouth & MacNeal (1972)
* "The Elephant Song" by Kamahl (1975)
* You're the Greatest Lover and Trojan Horse by Luv' (1978)
* "Shine Up" by Doris D & The Pins (1980)

Awards

Among his most prestigious awards, he received:

* two Conamus Export Prizes (for his collaboration with the best Dutch Export music acts): in 1972 (with Mouth & MacNeal) and in 1979 (with Luv').
* a Gouden Harp (Golden Harp) in 1974 for his talents as a producer.
* an ASCAP award in the United States for the song "How Do You Do" by Mouth & Mac Neal.
* 40 gold and platina records thanks to his music productions.

References

External links

* [http://www.hansvanhemert.nl] - "Hans Van Hemert Productions" Official Site
* [http://www.popinstituut.nl/act_pagina/hans_van_hemert.7899.html] - information about Van Hemert's career on the Nationaal Pop Instituut website (in Dutch)