George Kooymans, guitarist and co-lead singer of Dutch rock band Golden Earring, has passed away at the age of 77, after a long battle with ALS.
His family confirmed the news in a statement released by their lawyer. “We say goodbye to a great musician and composer whose work extended beyond Golden Earring. George was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, but above all, a friend,” the statement read.
Golden Earring was founded in 1961 when Kooymans decided to start a band with his neighbour, bassist Rinus Gerritsen. In a career that spanned five decades, Golden Earring released over 25 studio albums.
Their impressive career includes hits such as ‘Radar Love‘, released in 1973, which was their first hit to reach across the pond and hit number 13 on the US charts. In 1982, they had similar success with ‘Twilight Zone’, a song by Kooymans that hit number 10.
The band broke up in 2021, once Kooyman’s ALS diagnosis was made public. “We always said we would keep going until one of us fell over,” said Kooyman’s bandmate, multi-instrumentalist Barry Hay. “I didn’t expect George to be the first. Kooymans was always the toughest of the four of us,” he wrote at the time.
Dutch News reports that the other members of Golden Earring are planning a farewell show. An eclectic mix of musicians are expected to perform, and the proceeds will reportedly be donated to ALS research.
Long-standing drummer Cesar Zuiderwijk has since commented on his tragic passing: “What we want now is silence and to think back on everything he did. I played with him for 50 years, and it was the best time of my life.”
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, often leading to muscular weakness and paralysis. There is currently no cure.
