The legendary guitarist George Kooymans, who founded the well-known musical Dutch band Golden Earring, is no longer with us. He was 77 years old when he passed away. Since no one from the rock world will be as intelligent as that one, the music community is still in shock.
The passing of the end marks the end of very significant chapters in rock history that have had a great impact on the music along with the unforgettable guitar riffs and a band that was able to survive for decades.
The family of Kooymans has released a statement to confirm that he passed away in peace and due to ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) which is a neurodegenerative disease that has surely taken his life since it forced him to retire in 2021 and thus the Golden Earring band had to stop their journey which was bittersweet for the fans and this disease has been the main cause so far.
A Rock Pioneer’s Legacy
The music journey of George Kooymans was still a young one-of-a-kind adventure when he was a teenager. Back in 1961, when he was just 13 years old, he went again with Rinus Gerritsen to form a band called The Golden Earrings that later changed the name to Golden Earring, a band that will definitely be recorded in the history of rock.
At the beginning, the band was just a beat group that later on became one of the most influential and iconic rock bands in the entire world. He was not only a great player but also a principal co-writer of the majority of their biggest hits such as “Radar Love,” a timeless song, and the mesmerizing “Twilight Zone.”
His excellent songwriting contributions, along with his fresh guitar playing, took Golden Earring to the sky, providing them with the opportunity to do a lot of musical tours and place their instruments alongside the ones of Led Zeppelin and The Who, among others.
Beyond the Chart-Toppers: An Enduring Influence
Surely, “Radar Love” and “Twilight Zone” were the tracks that made Golden Earring an established rock band, but George Kooymans’ impact is not only restricted to those hits. He was a highly productive musician, creating a huge discography of albums that are yet continuous of the band’s development and diversification for more than six decades of publication.
His death is a very deep and personal loss not only for his beloved family and friends in the band, but also for the latter who are still around the globe and cannot forget his extraordinary talent. Undoubtedly, George Kooymans’ music will be there for all the future musicians and listeners to get inspired, thus securing his well-deserved and eternal place in the chronicles of rock and roll.
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