Frans Bauer

Popular Dutch singer, born December 23, 1973 in Roosendaal, The Netherlands. He was originally ed with his mother's maiden name, (Wies) van Dooren, as his parents weren't married yet at that time. His father was Chris Bauer. Together with his wife Mariska, Frans Bauer raised four sons: Lucas, Jan, Frans Jr., and Chris Bauer (5).

From an early age Bauer was determined to become a singer. His great idols are Julio Iglesias, Elvis Presley and Koos Alberts. By the latter, he was sometimes brought on stage to sing along with 'Ik verscheurde je foto' (I tore up your photo). Bauer's own musical career was shaped in 1987, when he recorded his first single Ben Je Jong, under the supervision of producers Riny Schreijenberg and Emile Hartkamp.

Bauer grew to be a local celebrity in the vicinity of the town where he lives, Fijnaart. He got his first national fame through the television programme All You Need Is Love in 1991, in which, with the permission of his girlfriend Mariska, he got to select two female fans (who both coincidentally are named Diana) to go out with for an evening.

The television show made Bauer famous, though, mostly because of the denial of national radio stations, it was only in 1994 that Bauer scored his first hit single, titled Marianne Weber reached number 1 in the Dutch charts. The year 1997 however ended tragically for Bauer, as two of his band, returning from a concert, died in a traffic incident.

Thanks to his fans, Frans Bauer became more and more popular. In March 1998 he gave his first series of concerts in Ahoy'. Record companies offered millions for a contract. In 2003 the reality soap De Bauers, about the family life of Frans and now-wife Mariska, was a much watched television programme. Bauer is also ambassador of Villa Pardoes, for children with life threatening diseases. In 2004, Bauer, because of his charity work and singing, was appointed to the Order of Orange-Nassau. In the same year, he won the Gouden Televizier-ring, a Dutch television prize, awarded by the public.