Biography
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Born
21 April 1945 (age 79)
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Born In
Bussum, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Ronnie Tober (born April 21, 1945 in Bussum the Netherlands) is a Dutch/American singer.
He moved with his family to Albany, New York. Ronnie sang there for WRGB, Schenectady's show "Teen Age Barn". Ronnie did the Perry Como show as Boy soprano, and sang "O Holy Night" with Perry. He was soprano soloist at St. Peters Episcopal Church in Albany and sang for both Governor W. Averell Harriman and Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, who visited their. He acted on the CBS hit show "Route 66" with George Maharis and Martin Milner. He sang for Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon in 1960. He was elected Jr. Mr. New York state and went on to win Jr. Mr. America. Ronnie was also in the musicals "The Boyfriend" were he played Tony and "Littel Mary Sunshine" playing Billy Jester. Sandi Manning asked Ronnie for "Running Wild". Through Sandi, Ronnie came in touch with Bob Crewe, Ronnie recorded his huge hit "Can't take my eyes off of you".
He moved back to the Netherlands in 1963. He took part in Eurovision Song Contest in 1968 with a song song Morgen and finished 16th. He won the Sopot International Song Festival in 1966 with his medley Showtime on Broadway. Ronnie made for years his own TV shows for the KRO television and for the AVRO television. He did shows with Vicky Carr, Nancy Wilson, Roger Wittaker etc.
He lives with his partner Jan Jochems since 1967, and they married on February 24, 1998. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 1999 and underwent chemotherapy. Ronnie is still going strong, and trying to help others. He is clean from the cancer.
In 2002 the philanthropist Ronnie Tober started the Ronnie Tober Foundation, which helps people with a mental handicap. He will participate in the 2006 International Four Days Marches Nijmegen to try and raise money for it. Ronnie walked the first 40 km, the March was stoped thru heat. Two people died and more then 300 went to hospital. Ronnie was ready for his second day, but it was canneceled.
H.M. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands honoured Ronnie with a Knighthood, on December 27, 2003. At his 40th anniversery in show business.
Ronnie is also in the Wall of Fame in the Zuiderkerk in Amsterdam, this wall of fame is for people who do things for others, like Ronnie does with his Ronnie Tober Foundation.
External links
www.tober.nl
www.ronnietoberfoundation.nl
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