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George Baker Selection

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The George Baker Selection was a Dutch pop group from Assendelft. The band began in 1967 as Soul Invention, a soul band that Henk Kramer formed in Assendelft and that played covers of Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. In 1968 Hans Bouwens from Wormerveer joined. In the summer of 1969 he and the bassist Jan Visser wrote Little Green Bag. Because the first recordings were not soul, the group changed its name to The George Baker Selection. Bouwens named himself after a character in a detective novel.

Music and breakthrough

The first album Little Green Bag appeared in 1970 and immediately produced a worldwide hit. In the United States the single reached number 16 on the Cash Box chart and number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Baker heard the song on the radio while he was working in a lemonade factory. After the second single Dear Ann he became a full-time musician, and from mid-1970 the group consisted of Baker, Jan Visser, Jan Hop, Jacques Greuter and George Thé. In 1974 the singer Lida Bond joined, and the combination with Baker's voice proved very successful. The fifth album, Paloma Blanca from 1975, contained the single Paloma Blanca, which reached number 1 in several countries.

Influence

In 1978 the group broke up because the pressure became too great. In 1982 Baker formed a new Selection, which lasted until 1989. In 1985 the European hit Santa Lucia by Night followed. The band released twelve albums. Baker also wrote for other artists, such as BZN, The Shoes, Andy Star and Next One.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Paloma Blanca from 1975 and notice how the voice of Lida Bond and that of George Baker sound together. That duo was formed in 1974.

Discography

Studio albums

Mentioned in other articles

Categories: Artists