2009 Deutschen Vorentscheid Results

Finally, I had a chance to watch the Deutschen Vorentscheid for the annual Grand Prix der Volksmusik competition back on May 21. I enjoyed the show but my own personal favorites did not make the finals. My favorites have a lot to do with the fact that I have met some of them in the past and, of course, I was rooting for them, like, Reiner Kirsten. That is because we were able to meet him last year on Ted Hierl's Hawaii Cruise in 2008. The song by Gunther Behrle author that Claudia Dechant sang, Nimm diesen Ring, also did not make the finals. However, Judith & Mel's song, Liebe gibt - Liebe nimmt, which was written by Mel Jersey did make the finals and so did Claudia & Alexx. Each country has announced their finals and you will find them listed at the Grand Prix website. Note I have again included links to the singers' webpages below.

The results of the finalists going from Germany to the finals in Munich on August 29 are:

Bergkameraden & Oswald Sattler -- Ich traume von der Heimat

Judith & Mel -- Liebe gibt - Liebe nimmt

Claudia & Alexx -- Mama, danke

Rico Seith -- Tausen Augen Hoffnung

Germany

Here is the original list that competed at Germany's vorentscheid on May 21.

Vladimir Boldt -- Alle Sterne schaun Dir zu

Isartaler Hexen -- Brave Maedchen kommen in den Himmel

Zipfelbuben -- Das gibt sich bis 70

Bergkameraden & Oswald Sattler -- Ich traume von der Heimat

Benjamin Grund -- In nomine patris

Florian Fesl -- Lass uns wieder Freunde sein

Judith & Mel -- Liebe gibt - Liebe nimmt

Claudia & Alexx -- Mama, danke

Licht -- Mut zur Liebe

Claudia Dechant -- Nimm diesen Ring

Reiner Kirsten -- Signora Come stai

Rico Seith -- Tausen Augen Hoffnung

Schlagerfeuer -- Unsere Erde

Dorfrocker -- Unter'm Tanzboden sitzt der Teufel

Bel Amis -- Vaterunser

2009 Grand Prix der Volksmusik

Well, it is that time of year where the nominees for the annual Grand Prix der Volksmusik competition has started. As many of you know, each country (Austria, Germany, Sudtirol & Switzerland) will have a preliminary (vorentsteid) competition in their own countries and then send the top 4 to the final competion being held in Munich on August 29, 2009.

Happily, Vincent & Fernando are competing this year for Sudtirol again. Last year their song, Glaube an Gott was in a tie with the Klostertaler, and after 2 tie breakers they lost out. Hopefully, they will be successful this year. These talented brothers were the first entertainers I interviewed when Tim was still hosting the Stimmung Stunde. That interview aired in April 2004 and you can still hear it by CLICKING HERE. We certainly hope they make number one this year.

Also, Reiner Kirsten, from Germany, is competing. He was the featured entertainer on Ted Hierl's Hawaii Cruise in 2008. Many of the passengers enjoyed the Schwarzwald boy's beautiful songs and his charming personnality on that cruise and I know they will be rooting for him.

If you go to the Grand Prix website here are a few things to make note of. You might note the name Fabio Omero under Komponist and/or Text, that is name Rudy Giovannini uses to write under. Even Vincent & Fernando's song is from him this year. Also, note that Sauguat is competing this year ... again (they were disqualified last year).

The Germany listing shows Gunther Behrle as the author of the song that Claudia Dechant sings, Nimm diesen Ring. Judith & Mel's song, Liebe gibt - Liebe nimmt, was written by Mel Jersey. The music for the song that Benjamin Grund sings, In nomine patris, was written by Benjamin Grund. Claudia & Alexx are again among the contests and have gotten very close in the past. Those of you who watch German TV will notice that Florian Fesl is in the competition. He was on the Immer Wieder Sonntags show all summer and lost the competion the very last week.

Switzerland's Maria Da Vinci sings Jeder Herzschlag fuer dich. The music and text were written by Mario Wolf & Christoph Purtscheller, who are in the Alpentrio Tirol. I wonder why they did not have an artist from Austria perform their song.

Each country has announced their nominees and you will find them listed below or go to the Grand Prix website for more details. Note there are links to the singers' webpages below. Some of them even have samples of their songs at their websites that you can listen to.

Austria

Austria's vorentscheid will be May 30.

Natalie Holzner -- Alles fuer's Herz

Helga Frank -- Das Karussell dreht sich weiter

Pfarrer Franz Brei & Signum -- Das Leben...

Die Jungen Zillertaler -- Drobn auf'm Berg

Die Grubertaler -- Du darfst beim Autofahrn'n nit auf die Maedels schau'n

Bernd Roberts -- Hoer auf den Herz

Melanie -- I g'hoer nur dir

Zillertaler Gipfelstuermer -- Ich moechte mir Dir die Sunn aufgehn sehn

Leona & Swen -- Mach das nochmal mit mir

Yves -- Mama

Dunja -- Meine Liebe zu dir

Zellberg Buam -- Sing ma no oan

Andreas Gabalier -- So liab hob i di

Die Aufgeiger -- Sommerfieber

Steirerbluat -- Wir sind alle keine engel

Germany

Germany's vorentscheid will be on May 21

Vladimir Boldt -- Alle Sterne schaun Dir zu

Isartaler Hexen -- Brave Maedchen kommen in den Himmel

Zipfelbuben -- Das gibt sich bis 70

Bergkameraden & Oswald Sattler -- Ich traume von der Heimat

Benjamin Grund -- In nomine patris

Florian Fesl -- Lass uns wieder Freunde sein

Judith & Mel -- Liebe gibt - Liebe nimmt

Claudia & Alexx -- Mama, danke

Licht -- Mut zur Liebe

Claudia Dechant -- Nimm diesen Ring

Reiner Kirsten -- Signora Come stai

Rico Seith -- Tausen Augen Hoffnung

Schlagerfeuer -- Unsere Erde

Dorfrocker -- Unter'm Tanzboden sitzt der Teufel

Bel Amis -- Vaterunser

Sudtirol

Sudtirol's vorenscheid will be May 8.

Das Schlernsextett -- Andreas Hofer

Vincent & Fernando -- Der Engel von Marienberg

Die Vaiolets -- Die Blume die im Herzen blueht

Die 4 Suedtiroler -- Ein ganzes herz voll Jahresringe

Patrick & seine Freunde -- Ein gutes Wort

Konrad Goller & Corinne -- Farben der Liebe

Bergfeuer -- Himalaya

Samira Dalnodar -- Kinder und Blumen

Sauguat -- Mein Reschen am See

Die Pustertaler -- Ohne die Musig

Graziano -- Romantica

Die Hopfenmusig -- Sudtiroler Marsch

Volxrock -- Wenn du kannst

Alex & die Groedner Alphorn Blaeser -- Wenn i auf Bergeshoehen steh

Etschland Express & Marion -- Wenn ich die Berge seh

Switzerland

Switzerland's vorenscheid will be April 25.

Sarah Jane -- Bliib doch bi mir

Geni Good & seine Glarner Oberkrainer -- Chlefeler Schtimmig

Stefan Roos & Saengerfreunde -- Das Herz einer Mutter

Salvo -- Grad wie im 7. Himmel

Gruppe Plauschler - Ich kann nicht aufhoern dich zu lieben

Christian Duss -- Das Liebeslied der Berge

Maria DaVinci -- Jeder Herzschlag fuer dich

Roman Peters -- La vita e bella

Orig. Voralpen-Express -- sag mir das, sag mir was

Yasmine-Melanie -- Schenk' mir heut' ein bisschen Zeit

Pascal G -- Tu Mi Corazon

Michelle & Philipp mit Wirbelwind -- Wenn du mein Herz beruehrst

2008 Hawaii Cruise Report

If you can read German, here is a report of last year's cruise to Hawaii on the Golden Princess with Reiner Kirsten. This article was published in the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung on January 3, 2009, written by fellow cruisers, Otto und Sieglinde (pictured to the left). It gives a detailed account of our cruising experience with this fun group of people. The article is all in the German language, so just click here to read the whole article. Also, you can take a look at our Hawaii cruise page and see all the pictures we took on this fabulous cruise by clicking HERE. The New Yorker Staats-Zeitung would appreciate your support and we thank them for letting us reproduce this article here on our website. If you would like to help support this fine German Language newspaper, please subscribe.

Die New Yorker Staats-Zeitung oder die California Staats-Zeitung koennen unter der folgenden zollfreien Telefonnummer bei Frau Margita Baldeweg bestellt werden: 1-877-818-6201 or send an e-mail to, NYStaatsZ@aol.com

If you are interested in this year's cruise with Ted Hierl to the Southern Caribbean, please take a look at our Southern Caribbean cruise page featuring the Original Naabtall Duo. We have some links to YouTube, if you want to see what this talented Duo can do.

Here are the opening paragraphs of the newspaper article, if you would like the complete article CLICK HERE.

Obwohl es im Lied heißt, daß es in Hawaii kein Bier gibt, konnten die Reiseteilnehmer von Ted Hierl’s German American Radio Cruise bei der kűrzlichen Kreuzfahrt selber feststellen, daß das nicht den Tatsachen entspricht. Es gab viele Sorten von Bier, sogar deutsches Bier aus Műnchen, auf dem stolzen Schiff „Golden Princess“ und auch auf den vier Inseln von Hawaii, die das Schiff anlief.

Die Hauptattraktion auf dieser Traumreise war der deutsche Star und Schlagersänger Reiner Kirsten aus Freiburg im Schwarzwald. Er sang außer neuen deutschen Schlagern auch viele, immer so gern von den Deutsch-Amerikanern gehörten, deutsche Volkslieder. Alle sangen kräftig mit! Er forderte auch die Leute zum tanzen auf, was von vielen gerne befolgt wurde. Reiner Kirsten ist ein außerordentlich gut aussehender junger Mann, der es mit seinem sonnigen Lächeln und seinen wunderschönen blauen Augen allen Damen angetan hatte. Der talentierte Kűnstler schreibt viele seiner Lieder selbst. Alte Schlager, wie „Heimat deine Sterne“ wurden von den Zuschauern mit begeistertem Applaus bedacht. Als er erwähnte, daß bei seinen frűheren Auftritten ihm oft eine Dame ein Glas Rotwein zur Bűhne brachte, stűrmten gleich drei Damen aus dem Publikum mit vollen Gläsern zu ihm hin.

Reiner Kirsten wurde von den Original Elstertaler Musikanten, den Stimmungsmachern aus Thűringen, unter Leitung von „Semmi“ meisterhaft unterstűtzt. Die Elstertaler haben schon öfters bei den vielen Kreuzfahrten, von Ted Hierl und Clark Travel veranstalteten Schiffsreisen, aufgespielt. Clark Travel, zusammen mit Ted Hierl, hatte zu Beginn der Kreuzfahrt zu einer Begrűßungsparty geladen mit freien Getränken fűr alle Teilnehmer. Auch bei der Abschiedsparty gab es freie Drinks. Bei dieser Feier erschien sogar der Kapitän des Schiffes, John Foster. Er stieß mit Ted Hierl und Reiner Kirsten mit einer Flasche Spatenbier an. Wieder einmal gelang es den Elstertalern die Stimmung hochzuschrauben. Bei einer großen Polonaise schlängelte sich eine lange Reihe Deutschamerikaner und Bundesbűrger aus der alten Heimat durch die Vista Lounge, lautstark singend. An dieser Polonaise nahmen sogar einige philippinische junge Kellner teil, die den Anfang der langen Schlange űberműtiger Menschen bildeten. Unsere Reisegesellschaft hatte immerhin 340 Teilnehmer; 85 davon aus Deutschland, hauptsächlich Thűringen. ... CLICK here to finish reading this article.

Back from Hawaii

Although I have been back from Ted Hierl's cruise to Hawaii aboard the Golden Princess for a few weeks, I finally got my pictures organized. At the bottom of this posting, I have a short slideshow with a sampling of what we saw & did on the cruise. But to see all the pictures and you will go to the Hawaii Cruise page. There are 3 slideshows and instructions of how to download pictures to your computer for free.

Reiner Kirsten put on some great shows. This Schwarzwald native warmed up the audience with some old favorites and introduced them to his new hits. Reiner mingled with the people on the cruise even when he was not performing and soon when you heard him say "Hallo Freunde" there was someone else saying "Hallo Reiner".

The Elstertaler, led by Wolfgang Semmler, again provided 2 show nights of dance music. However one of the highlights was when Semmi sang to his lovely wife, Ilona. He changed the words to the song to address their 12 years together and this year they were married. The Elstertaler really had the place jumping and you can see why Ted Hierl invites them back each year. Andre is a very talented singer and knows what the crowd wants to hear. They also brought with them some of the new hits in Germany and had everyone up on their feet. One morning, Tomas, on the keyboard, joined us for breakfast with this family. Tomas also plays in the new band that accompanies Stefan Mross and it was very interesting getting some inside stories from him.

We were lucky to have a great table of 6 other people to sit with at dinner time. Our table was very mixed with each couple coming from a different state: California, Minnesota, Rhode Island and, of course, Wisconsin. It was fun to hear what everyone had done throughout the day and some of them had some interesting adventures mixing with the locals. There was a table of people from Milwaukee and it was nice to see familiar faces on the cruise as well.

Ted Hierl and his lovely wife, Hilde, deserve a great big thank you for spending countless hours putting together this cruise. There were over 360 people in our group and 88 of them came from Germany. Hilde did all the coordinating and translating that was needed to make things go smoothly. Ted announced that next year's cruise will be going to the Southern Caribbean with the Original Naabtal Duo as the star guests. I have created a new Cruise page with all the details and you can get there by pressing this button . If you want to see the Naabtal Duo in action there are a bunch of links to YouTube so you can get familiar with their music. I will be putting a direct link along the left sidebar of the webpage soon, so if you are thinking of going next year call & reserve your cabin before they are filled up. Please note that if you click on Ted & Hilde's picture you will go to Ted's Webpage where you can listen to his 2 hours Sunday Radio show all week.

Sail with Reiner Kirsten to Hawaii

Those of you who just cannot decide whether or not you want to go on the Ted Hierl Hawaii cruise that will be featuring Reiner Kirsten as the entertainment, better get going. Click HERE to get all the info about this fabulous cruise in October.

If you want to see a clip of this Schwarzwald boy, click on the video below.