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The whistlers’ prize has been awarded yearly since 1986 by the International Whistlers Convention (IWC), which is based in North Carolina and brings together the most prominent whistlers from around the world. Thus far, the honor of being nominated for the hall of fame has only been bestowed upon Americans, Canadians and one New Zealander.

Bobbejaan Schoepen was already nominated in the United States for the Whistlers’ Hall of Fame back in February, receiving support from jazz legend Toots Thielemans, the Australian entertainer Ronnie Ronalde and the Dutch International Grand Champion whistler Geert Chatrou.

Remarkably, Bobbejaan Schoepen has not been able to whistle since the 1980’s. An important nerve was damaged during a surgical intervention, causing him to lose feeling in a region of his face around his mouth.

“My father was recognized internationally for his whistling technique all the way back in the 1940’s,” his son Tom tells us. “Whistling flawlessly and with feeling is much more difficult than it would appear. Particularly when one combines it with other instruments such as the guitar and singing,” he adds.

Bobbejaan has been piling up the awards over the past few years. In 2000 he was the first Flemish singer to be inducted into the Radio 2 Hall of Fame and SABAM. In 2006, “The Lights of the Scheldt” was eternalized in the same hall of fame, and in 2007 Schoepen received a ZAMU “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his pioneering work in Belgian music history.

In May of this year, after 35 years without recording a record, Bobbejaan released a comeback album which includes guest performances from Axelle Red, Geike Arnaert (Hooverphonic) and DAAN.


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"Bobbejaan Schoepen parmi les plus grands chanteurs-siffleurs au monde"

(BELGA) = Le chanteur guitariste flamand Bobbejaan Schoepen a été intronisé au Whistlers Hall of Fame, considéré comme le panthéon des chanteurs-siffleurs, a annoncé lundi Tom Schoepen, fils et manager de son père qui a reçu lundi sa distinction à Tokyo.

Le prix du meilleur siffleur est attribué chaque année, depuis 1986, par la International Whistlers Convention (IWC), en Caroline du Nord, aux Etats-Unis.

Jusqu'ici, seuls des Américains, des Canadiens et un Néo-Zélandais figurent dans cette galerie d'honneur.

Bobbejaan Schoepen, fondateur du parc d'attractions qui porte son nom à Lichtaart, a perdu de sa virtuosité de siffleur dans les années '80, à la suite d'une opération chirurgicale. Ce qui ne l'a pas empêché de sortir un nouveau CD en mai avec des artistes invités comme Axelle Red ou la chanteuse d'Hooverphonic, Geike Arnaert

Le Belge rejoint ainsi des artistes aussi connus que le crooner américain Bing Crosby.

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© 2008 Belga
Publicatie: Belga
Publicatiedatum: 21 juli 2008
Auteur: Belga