Johnny Lion

John van Leeuwarden (4 July 1941 – 31 January 2019), who recorded under the name Johnny Lion, was a Dutch singer, journalist and actor. His best known song as a solo artist was his hit single "Sophietje". He also recorded with The Jumping Jewels and had a few hit songs including "Wheels"", "Africa" and "Irish Washerwoman".

Johnny Lion
Johnny Lion and Sophie van Kleef (1966)
Background information
Birth nameJohn van Leeuwarden
Also known asJohnny Lion
Born(1941-07-04)4 July 1941
The Hague, Netherlands
Died31 January 2019(2019-01-31) (aged 77)
Breda, Netherlands
LabelsPhilips Records, EMI

Musical career

Lion started his musical career in 1959 as singer of Johnny and his Jewels, later named The Jumping Jewels.[1] The Jumping Jewels had a number-one hit single in the Netherlands with the instrumental "Wheels" in 1961,[2] as well as top 10 hits with "Africa" (No. 8) in 1963 and "Irish Washerwoman" / "Java" (No. 9) in 1964.[3]

Lion left the band in 1965 to focus on a solo career. He had two hit singles: "Sophietje" (No. 5) in 1965 and "Tjingeling" (No. 14) in 1966.[1] Sophietje was a Dutch translation of Swedish song "Fröken Fräken" and dedicated to Lion's then-girlfriend Sophie van Kleef.[4] He had two further minor hits in the 1980s, first the title song of the 1983 film Brandende liefde, and "Alleen in Dallas" in 1988.[1]

He also collaborated with Rob de Nijs in Circus Boltini. Boltini was Lion's second wife Mariska Akkerman's uncle.

Journalism

In the 1990s he wrote columns for weekly-magazine Panorama.[1]

Acting

Lion acted in the 1998 film Siberia and in 2003 he had a minor role in Van God Los.[5]

Personal life

He was married twice. Lion suffered from Alzheimer's disease and lung cancer in his final years,[6] and died in January 2019.[7]

References
  1. "Johnny Lion". Top 40.
  2. "Zanger Johnny Lion van 'Sophietje' overleden". nos.nl. February 2019.(in Dutch)
  3. "The Jumping Jewels". Dutch Charts.
  4. bndestem.nl; Johnny Lion (1941–2019) was liever anoniem in de Bredase Belcrum dan een popidool, BN De Stem (in Dutch)
  5. NFF Bio – Filmfestival (in Dutch)
  6. omroepbrabant.nl; De zanger van 'Sophietje' is stervende: 'Johnny Lion is aimabel en bescheiden mens, – Omroep Brabant (in Dutch)
  7. telegraaf.nl Archived 2 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine; Johnny Lion (77) overleden] – Telegraaf (in Dutch)
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