Bobby Farrell
Bobby Farrell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 October 1949 Aruba, Netherlands Antilles |
| Died | 30 December 2010 (aged 61) Saint Petersburg, Russia |
Roberto "Bobby" Alfonso Farrell (6 October 1949 on Aruba– 30 December 2010 in St. Petersburg (Russia)) was a Aruban/Dutch dancer and performer, best known as the male member of the successful 1970s pop and disco group Boney M.[2]
Early years
Farrell was born and raised on the island of Aruba in the Lesser Antilles, where he lived until the age of 15. After finishing school he worked as a sailor for 2 years, travelling across the oceans before settling in Norway. From Norway, he went to the Netherlands, where he got some work as a DJ in the Netherlands before getting better opportunities in Germany.
Years with Boney M.
In Germany, he worked mostly as a DJ until producer Frank Farian spotted him for his new Boney M. group. He became the sole male singer in the group, although Farian later revealed that Bobby made almost no vocal contributions to the group's records, with Farian himself performing the male parts on the songs in the studio. Liz Mitchell claimed that only she, Marcia Barrett and Farian had sung on the hit recordings. Farrell did, however, perform live in some of the various incarnations of 'Boney M', including the main 1970s incarnation.[3]
He also appeared as a dancer in late 2005 in the Roger Sanchez video clip of Turn on the Music.
Later years and death
Farrell lived for many years in Amsterdam, in the neighbourhood of Gaasperdam in the borough of Amsterdam Zuidoost.
He died on the morning of 30 December 2010, in a hotel in Saint Petersburg, due to heart failure.[4] His agent John Seine said Farrell was complaining of breathing problems after performing with his band the evening before.[5][6] Farrell's body was reportedly discovered by hotel staff after he failed to respond to a wake-up call.[7]
Discography
Singles
- 1982: Polizei / A Fool In Love
- 1985: King Of Dancing / I See You
- 1987: Hoppa Hoppa / Hoppa Hoppa (Instrumental)
- 1991: Tribute To Josephine Baker
- 2004: Aruban Style (Mixes) S-Cream Featuring Bobby Farrell
- 2006: The Bump EP
Bobby Farrell's Boney M. / Boney M. Featuring Bobby Farrell / Bobby Farrell Featuring Sandy Chambers
- 2000: The Best Of Boney M. (DVMore)
- 2001: Boney M. – I Successi (DVMore)
- 2001: The Best Of Boney M. (II) (compilation)
- 2001: The Best Of Boney M. (III) (compilation)
- 2005: Boney M. – Remix 2005 (featuring Sandy Chambers) (compilation) (Crisler)
- 2007: Boney M. – Disco Collection (compilation)
Please note: all of these releases contain re-recordings of Boney M.'s hits - not the original versions.
References
- ^ Albums by Bobby Farrell - Rate Your Music
- ^ Wainwright, Martin (30 December 2010). "Boney M singer Bobby Farrell dies at 61". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
- ^ "Whatever happened to Boney M?". BBC News. 29 January 2002. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
- ^ "Farrell overleed door hartfalen". De Telegraaf. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- ^ "Bobby Farrell (61) overleden". NU.nl. 30 December 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
- ^ "Boney M's Bobby Farrell has died, aged 61". RTE. 30 December 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
- ^ "Boney M singer Bobby Farrell dies aged 61". BBC News. 30 December 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-31.