Heddy Lester
{{short description|Dutch singer and actress (1950–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Heddy Lester
| image = Heddy Lester.jpg
| caption = Lester in 2007
| image_size =
| birth_name = Heddy Affolter
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1950|6|18}}
| birth_place =
| origin = Amsterdam, Netherlands
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2023|1|29|1950|6|18}}
| death_place =
| instrument =
| genre = Pop, Musical theatre
| occupation = Singer
| years_active =
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members =
}}
Heddy Lester (born Heddy Affolter, 18 June 1950 – 29 January 2023) was a Dutch singer and actress of Jewish-Surinamese origin,{{Cite web |url=https://www.joods.nl/2006/08/een-joods-gesprek-met-heddy-lester/ |title=Een joods gesprek met… Heddy Lester |language=nl |date=1 August 2006 |website=Joods.NL |access-date=14 November 2024}} best known outside the Netherlands for her participation in the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest.
Early career
Lester was born in Amsterdam. Her professional career started with Gert Balke as the duo April Shower, who had a minor hit with "Railroad Song" in 1971. Her father ran a restaurant in Amsterdam, where she met singer Ramses Shaffy, with whom she started touring. Lester launched her solo career in 1974.[http://www.popinstituut.nl/biografie/heddy_lester.14367.html Muziek Centrum Nederland biography (Dutch)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009081240/http://www.popinstituut.nl/biografie/heddy_lester.14367.html |date=9 October 2008 }}
Eurovision Song Contest
In 1977, Lester's song "De mallemolen" ("The Merry-Go-Round"), with music written by her brother Frank, was chosen by a celebrity panel as the winner in the Dutch Eurovision selection.{{Cite web |url=http://natfinals.50webs.com/70s_80s/Netherlands1977.htmlESC |title=National Finals database – 1977 |access-date=24 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309050303/http://natfinals.50webs.com/70s_80s/Netherlands1977.htmlESC |archive-date=9 March 2012 |url-status=dead }} Lester went forward to take part in the 22nd Eurovision Song Contest, held in London on 7 May. Although "De mallemolen" had been considered a strong contender prior to the contest, it could only manage a disappointing 12th-place finish of 18 entries.{{Cite web |url=http://www.esc-history.com/details.asp?key=376 |title=ESC History – 1977 |access-date=24 October 2009 |archive-date=28 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728111514/http://www.esc-history.com/details.asp?key=376 |url-status=dead }}
Later career
After her Eurovision appearance, Lester worked in a variety of both musical and dramatic stage roles, including works by Lorca (Blood wedding), Euripides (The Trojan Women) and Joshua Sobol (Ghetto).
In 2009, Lester, along with several other former Dutch Eurovision contestants, was a special guest on that year's Eurovision selection television programme.[http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/13066 ESC Today 28-1-09]
Personal life and death
Lester died on 29 January 2023, at the age of 72, of bladder cancer.{{cite news |title=Mallemolen-zangeres Heddy Lester (72) overleden |url=https://www.telegraaf.nl/entertainment/974343665/mallemolen-zangeres-heddy-lester-72-overleden |access-date=31 January 2023 |publisher=De Telegraaf |date=31 January 2023}}
Discography
File:Songfestival Heddy Lester tijdens optreden, Bestanddeelnr 929-0090.jpg
Singles
April Shower
- 1971: "Mama Look Upon Me"
- 1971: "Railroad Song" (#30)
- 1972: "It's So Funny"
- 1973: "Danny's Song"
Solo
- 1974: "Friend of Mine"
- 1977: "De mallemolen" (#28)
- 1977: "Words Keep Turning"
- 1978: "Samen"
Album
- 1977: Deel van m'n bestaan
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724153521/http://www.dingadong.nl/nsf77/ 1977 page at Dingadong.nl (Dutch)]
- {{discogs artist|Heddy Lester}}
- {{imdb name|0504455}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box |
before=Sandra Reemer
with "The Party's Over" |
title=Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest |
years=1977 |
after=Harmony
with "'t Is OK" |
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest|state=collapsed}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 1977|state=collapsed}}
{{Commons category}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lester, Heddy}}
Category:20th-century Dutch actresses
Category:20th-century Dutch women singers
Category:Singers from Amsterdam
Category:Ariola Records artists
Category:Dutch stage actresses
Category:Actresses from Amsterdam