Grand Prix der Volksmusik

Songs are done being chosen for the Grand Prix der Volksmusik that will be held in Zürich, Switzerland on August 30, 2008. Only one of the songs on the list for Austria has to name who will perform the song (I think it's the one that the Zellberg Buam got disqualified for). SudTirol has not announce the performers yet, but that should be soon. If you want to go directly to the website for the Grand Prix der Volksmusk, just Click on the , and you can get all the details as they happen. Or if you just want a quick, easy look at who is competing, to go the charts that I have created containing all the latest results. Also, I have links to many of the performers' websites to get more info on some of the competitors. If I am missing a link and you know what their website address is, please send me an e-mail so I can update it.

The singers/muscians who will perform the songs have been chosen, except for Sud Tirol, and there are a few familiar names among the writers of the music and/or text.

Uwe Ehrhardt, the leader of the Schaefers, is pictured here with the lead singer, Bianca, and Tim Kretschmann when they were in Milwaukee at WJYI for a live interview in 2005. The Schaefers were the main entertainers on last year's cruise to the caribbean with Ted Hierl. To see pictures of last year's cruise with the Schaefers and details about this year's cruise to Hawaii with Reiner Kirsten, Click HERE.

Uwe has written the text to a song and the music by his sister, Sonja Malolepski (who is married to Olaf of the Flippers), that was chosen to be represented by Germany in the Grand Prix der Volksmusik. The name of the song is: Glaube ist. The Schaefers will be performing this song.

Another familiar name is Gunther Behrle.

He has written 3 songs for Germany, they are: Das kleine Kreuz am Straßenrand (Claudian Dechand), Ich denk' so gern an meine Mutter (Captain Cook), and Zeig uns das gelobte Land (Die alpen-Gospel Saenger). Gunther wrote both the music & text for all 3 songs.

He also wrote a song for Sud Tirol, "Glaube an Gott. "

Pictured to the right is Gunther Behrle with Tim in 2004. For some of you who do not recognize who Gunther Behrle is, he wrote the famous song "Patrona Bavarea" and performed at Milwaukee's German Fest in 2005.

Robert Jung wrote the text for "Ich bin ein Kind der Dolomiten" for Sud Tirol.

Germany has announced the performers and as mentioned above the Schaefers will again be competing. Of interest to Milwaukee is that the Schmalzler are competing. The Schmalzler are scheduled to be at this year's German Fest.

If you would like to see the results so far on the chart I have created that includes links to the performers websites . But if you would rather go directly to the website for the Grand Prix der Volksmusik click on this . Those results will be getting updated often in April/May. Notes these pre-final dates: Switzerland = April 19, Austria = May 3, Germany = May 21, and Sud Tirol = May 23.