Leo Fuld

about

Lazarus 'Leo' Fuld (Rotterdam, October 29, 1912 – Amsterdam, June 10, 1997) was a Dutch singer who specialised in Yiddish songs. Leo Fuld was born as the third of ten children and grew up in a poor Jewish family. His father, Louis Fuld, was a merchant. Fuld's talent for singing showed at early age during services at the synagogue. Fuld was a good student and was given a scholarship at the Dutch Jewish Seminar. His parents expected young Leo to eventually become hazzan ('cantor'). At the age of sixteen Fuld was already leading services in provincial synagogues. Besides this, he also started singing a worldly repertoire in pubs. He started off at "café de Kool" at the Rotterdam "Kruiskade", where he sang sixty tunes earning a "knaak". The success he had on stage made him decide to audition for VARA radio. He was employed right away and started to perform next to the famous Dutch singer Louis Davids. In 1932 he left for England to audition for the BBC and became the first Dutch singer behind the BBC microphone. His performance was noticed by Jack Hylton, leader of one of the most popular show bands of that time. At the age of 19 Leo joined for a tour, singing a miscellaneous repertoire: in addition to schlagers and swing classics he also sang traditional Yiddish songs. Just before the outbreak of the Second World War Fuld left to perform in the United States. Leaving Europe may well have saved his life; of his entire family only Leo and one of his sisters survived the Nazis.

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