Grand Prix der Volksmusik - August 30

It's just 6 more days before the Grand Prix der Volksmusik is taking place in Zurich, Switzerland on August 30. All of you who have Shift TV, don't forget to record this program.

Of course, my favorites are the brother duo, Vincent & Fernando. They were the first entertainers that gave the Stimmung Stunde an interview and you can still hear that interview by clicking here - 1, 2, 3. Here is a link to Maria Olliges' fan club page, who was the Talent Coordinator for the Stimmung Stunde and still very active in the Volksmusik world. I have a video of the entry by Vincent & Fernando this year, Glaube an Gott, so you can have an advance peek at their entry. Gunther Behrle wrote this song and I was lucky enough to see him in Lake Villa in June.

If you would like to see what this year's contestents look like and in many cases sound like, click on the links below. Which one do you think will be the grand prize winner this year?

Austria
Udo Wenders --- Der Letzte Zug, Cara mia
Die Klostertaler --- Heimat is dort wo die Berge sind
4 Holterbuam & Die Mayrhofner --- Tiroler - Steirer Musimix
Stodertaler Gaudi-Express --- Volksmusik mus es sein
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Germany
Captain Cook --- Ich den so gern an meine Mutter
Die Schaefer --- Glaube ist...
Michael Klostermann/
...Die Jungen Orig. Oberkrainer --- Vom Egerland bis Oberkrain
Dorfrocker --- Und ab geht die Luzzi
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Sudtirol
Sauguat --- Der Schaefer vom Schnalstal (Disqualified) .
Bergfeuer & Judith --- Liebe ist ein Kind der Freiheit
Vincent & Fernando --- Glaube an Gott
Geschwister Niederbacher --- Die Alte Madonna
Bergdiamanten - Ein bisschen Gottvertrauen
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Switzerland
Oesch's die Dritten --- Die Jodel-Sprache
Kapelle Oberalp, Domingo Rey &
...Los Brillantes Paraguayos --- Lueg a moi
Christian Duss --- Komm ich zeige dir dei Sterne
Manuela Fellner & Urs Meier --- Lauf dem Glueck nicht hinterher

Lake Villa German Music Festival - June 22, 2008

This annual German Music Festival is hosted by Chicago radio announcer, Armin Homann. Armin Homann has been the host of Deutschland Echo in Chicago many years and once a year he brings wonderful German entertainment to the pavilion in Lake Villa that is owned by the American Aid Society.

The doors open at 11 am and food is available for purchase from the American Aid Society. The afternoon promises 2 performances and the first one is at 1 p.m.

The headliner is famous singer and song writer, Guenther Behrle. Mr. Behrle wrote "Patronia Bavarea" and has again written some great songs that are in this year's Grand Prix der Volksmusik. Captain Cook will be performing "Ich denk so gern an meine Mutter" representing Germany. Mr. Behrle is the Prodozent for Captian Cook so be sure to click on the "fanbereich" button to see Mr. Behrle's comments. Vincent & Fernando will perform "Glaube an Gott" for Sudtirol. They are one of my personal favorites because they were the first entertainers that gave the Stimmung Stunde an interview. If you click on the link I provided above, you can go to their website and hear a sample of the song they will be singing. We have seen them perform live many times and think they have a great chance in Zurich, Switzerland on August 30.

Filling out the program will be Petra Boeck of Austria, the M & M Musikanten from Bavaria and Josef Holzmann. There is a picture of Josef Holzmann on the right side of this posting and a link to his website for information about this talented singer from Bamberg. Chicago's own Perlen will provide dance music for the afternoon. If you are not sure where Lake Villa is located, just click on the link below and you will see a map. It is located west of 6 Flags - Guernee, Illinois.

American Aid Society Pavilion - Lake Villa
259 W. Grand Ave., Lake Villa, Illinois (Route 132, 1 mile west of 83)

For more information, call Armin Homann: 1-847-583-1941.