Andy Tielman

Who was Andy Tielman?

Andy Tielman was an influential Indo artist, recognised as the "godfather" of Indorock, the style of rock and roll played by Indo artists in the 1950s and 1960s. He is considered one of the most important figures in Dutch popular music, and "defied the notion that early rock and roll was a phenomenon of white and black musicians from America".

He was known for his wide vocal range and virtuoso guitar playing as well as his showmanship. Many Dutch musicians, including Jan Akkerman, Barry Hay, and Herman Brood have cited him as major influences.

Tielman is credited with releasing the first Dutch rock and roll single, in 1958, and led the first Dutch rock band with international appeal, the Tielman Brothers, in a career that spanned seven decades, from the mid 1950s to his death in 2011. During Tielman's heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, the Tielman Brothers were hailed as the best live act in Europe and received the highest fees. In 2005 he was awarded a Royal decoration in the Order of Orange Nassau. In 2011 Tielman died of gastric cancer.