Udo Jürgen Bockelmann was born in 1934 in Klagenfurt, Austria. He received a harmonica for his fifth birthday and by the age of 15, he was writing his own songs. He studied music at the Klagenfurt conservatorium, specializing in piano, singing and composition. In 1960 he won a competition in Belgium. His song "Jenny" became a number one hit there.

Udo not only wrote songs for himself, he also composed for big stars. Shirley Bassey sang his hit "Reach for the Stars" and Sammy Davis, Jr., "Never Sing Another Song." He attended a number of star-studded events and debuted in his first film in 1961, the German comedy "Und du mein Schatz bleibst hier." After that, he appeared in other films, among them "Unsere tollen Tanten in der Südsee."

In 1964, Udo participated in the Eurovision Song Contest, and reached number 5 on the charts, rising to number 4 the year after. In 1966, he won the contest in Luxembourg with his "Merci Cherie."

A laid-back kind of guy with a charming smile – and one who can play the piano and sing, at that. What more does any man need to become a heartthrob? "Faithfulness is not a question of character, but of opportunity," he once said.

Udo Jürgens married twice and fathered four children with three different women. In public, he appeared mostly with his daughter Jenny and son Johnny, like in this picture in December 1964. He dedicated the song "Mein Bruder ist ein Maler," or "My Brother Is a Painter" to his brother; otherwise, he kept his private life private.

In the 1960s, he had a number of hits which immediately became classics, among them "Cottonfields," "Mathilda," and "Es wird Nacht, Senorita." Hit titles "Warum nur, warum?" (Why, Why?) and "Was ich dir sagen will" (what I want to tell you) were translated into eight languages and sung by over 40 stars. He sold over 20 million LPs and won a total of five German "Bambi" music awards.

In 1974, he performed with Shirley Bassey at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro for 40,000 fans. His ode to foreign workers in Germany ("Gastarbeiter") was "Griechischer Wein" (Greek Wine). For the World Cup in 1978, he sang with the German national team "Buenos dias, Argentina." He had his own TV shows and was able to pack hundreds of thousands of fans into stadiums.

Udo's concerts were usually sold out. "I can live without applause, but not on stage," he said. He was among the top pop stars in the German-speaking world.

Udo Jürgens presented his alter ego – a wax figure of himself at Madame Tussaud's in Vienna. There, he lives alongside Michael Jackson, Katy Perry, Marilyn Monroe and Albert Einstein.

He was celebrated and loved: His 80th birthday was celebrated with a major event broadcast on TV. At the Dresden Semper Opera House, he was surprised by 13,000 fans who sang "Merci Udo" for him. We concur: thank you, Udo!