Wolfgang Petry is considered one of the most well-known Schlager singers in Germany. His curly mane and his mustache are considered “wool’s” identification marks. In 2006 he withdrew from the public for a while – but the Schlager legend can’t do without music.
With mega hits like “Wahnsinn”, “Love, Lost, Forget, Forgive” or “Weiss der Geier” Wolfgang Petry has won a place in the Schlager Olympus forever. His songs are still played at parties to this day, they are evergreens, as they are written in books. After the end of his career in 2006, “Wolle”, as his fans affectionately call him, withdrew from the public eye. But only for a while.
On September 22, 1951, Wolfgang Petry, born Franz Hubert Wolfgang Remling, saw the light of day in Cologne. As a teenager he did an apprenticeship as a precision mechanic, but he also founded his first band at the same time. With this he is soon touring through towns in the area – until he is discovered in a disco. The first contract follows. His first album “Ein Freund – ein Mann” is the starting signal for an incomparable career.
His breakthrough came when he appeared on the ZDF hit parade with a single from his album on July 31, 1976. The popular TV show was seen as a stepping stone up the career ladder for up-and-coming artists – and it was to be the same for Wolfgang Petry. However, he just missed number 1 in the singles charts. His biggest competitor at the time: Jürgen Drews. After a few more years, during which Wolle was touring through Germany and diligently producing more hits, Wolfang produced a song that we all know to this day: the cult song “Love, lose, forget, forgive”.
Petry celebrated his big comeback in the early 90s with “Love, lost, forgotten, forgive” and in the years that followed finally sang his way to the top of the charts. His mix of Schlager, pop and rock was unmistakable, as was his look: Wall mane, lumberjack shirt, mustache and of course countless colorful friendship bracelets on the left forearm. Today, Wolle can look back on almost twenty million records sold, several gold records, three multi-platinum awards, five ECHOS in the “Schlager/Folk Music” category and a total of ten golden tuning forks. And: to your own musical. “Madness”, as it is called, celebrated its world premiere at the end of February 2018 in Duisburg.
And today? Today, Wolle is making music again. Still. Craziness! His new album “Stark wie wir” will be released on March 3rd, 2023. Petry’s favorite song on it? “The last one turns off the light,” he reveals in the exclusive BUNTE.de interview in December last year. “Usually I usually choose a cerebral song and this time it’s the same again.” Fans who don’t want to do without new music from their favorite until March can quench their thirst for hits with “You belong to me and I belong ‘to you’.
The song, which premiered on November 20th, 2022, is not only a harbinger of the new album, but also a declaration of love from Petry to his wife Rosie. He has been loyally with her through thick and thin for decades, which is not a matter of course in the wild show business. It quickly became clear to Petry that he wanted to make a song for his Rosie for his 50th wedding anniversary, as he explains to BUNTE.de. “One always thinks it has to be a ballad,” he says. “But I instinctively felt that a faster song would please Rosie better.” And he was right. “Not bad at all,” was Rosie’s first comment. And after an hour or two she complained: “Crap, I can’t get it out of my head.”
His Rosie even plays in the video. Fans and family are happy about the personal piece and give positive feedback: “You are an incredible couple, simply inseparable,” says son Achim, who works as a singer and songwriter himself. A “wow” came from the two grandchildren. And for Guiliano and Giorgio, grandpa wool even has a love tip in an interview: “Always be honest, no matter how difficult it is.”
Marianne Rosenberg has been on stage for over fifty years. She achieved cult status in the 70s, above all with her hit “He belongs to me”, further heartbreak titles followed – then a reorientation. Today Rosenberg is back in Schlager Olympus and more successful than ever.
Marianne Rosenberg has been on stage for over fifty years. She achieved cult status in the 70s, above all with her hit “He belongs to me”, further heartbreak titles followed – then a reorientation. Today Rosenberg is back in Schlager Olympus and more successful than ever.
Schlager veteran Tony Marshall has felt like he’s always been there and his joie de vivre is legendary. But things have gone quiet around the man with the warm voice. Now he is 85 – a birthday in silence.
The original of this post “That’s what Wolfgang Petry is doing today” comes from Bunte.de.
