Ben Steneker Ben Steneker (Heeg, February 10, 1935) is a Dutch country singer. His nickname is The Godfather of Dutch Country Music. Steneker started his career in the accompaniment band of Apeldoorn singer Lydia Tuynenburg. With the group Lydia & Her Melody Strings he had his first hit in the Netherlands in 1959: Send me the pillow. In 1960 he started a solo career. With songs like It does not matter anymore, Lonely river Rhine and From a jack to a king he gained fame in the Netherlands in the early sixties. This hit success did not match Steneker later. However, he remained a much sought after country party in the Netherlands. In the seventies, Steneker with singer Ine Dijkstra formed the Country Stones duo. At the end of the seventies he started a country club with his wife in his hometown of Haaksbergen. In 1984 he met Henk Wijngaard the song To Every Woman I Loved, a translation of To All the Girls I've Loved Before by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. The duo took a note in the Tipparade. Steneker traveled to the United States in the eighties, where he performed in cities like Indianapolis, Carson City and Nashville and at country festivals. From 2000, he is performing with his daughter Carmen Stene-ker. Together they released the album Like father, like daughter in 2005. In November 2007, Steneker celebrated his 50th anniversary as an artist. Country Club In 1976 Ben with his wife Irene in Haaksbergen opened one of the first Country Clubs in our country. This club was selected as favorite Country
Club of the Benelux by six readers of the monthly magazine Country Gazette and Country Musicians. KRO's Country Time was a few times in the Club to record for their radio program and, in addition to Dutch acts, performed foreign titles like Wanda Jackson, Bob Everhart and the legendary Patsy Montana. In 1980, Ben first appeared in the USA at a major festival, attended by 40,000 lovers of Traditional Country Music. Over the years he received several awards and performed radio and TV shows. He shared performances with Johnny Cash, Bobbie Bare, Freddy Fender, Billie Jo Spears, Lynn Anderson, Bellamy Brothers, Wanda Jackson and Tom-pall Glaser. A big disappointment for Ben was that no work permit was given at the Golden Nugget in Reno for eleven hours while the contract had already been signed. Meanwhile, he has been 36 times in the States for performances at major events in Nashville, Avoca, Indianapolis and LeMars, Iowa. Awards In our country, Ben Steneker got a lot of distinction. For example, he was first installed in the Dutch Country Hall of Fame, received from the TROS (Radio Broadcaster) the Troscar Award, the Super Star of RTV East, appointed as a Member of the Order of Orange Nassau and received The Golden Star of Haaksbergen because he has put his place of residence Haaksbergen on the map by interpreting country music in Europe and America. RTV Oost sent a tribute to Ben a Portrait of him on January 1, 2008. The local broadcast of Haaksbergen, RTV Sternet, dedicated three broadcasts to Ben in 2007, noting his 50th anniversary as an artist. In addition to an impression of the party evening for Ben and a special from the Polish TV, there was also an interview with Ben, Carmen and Irene. Performances
In recent years he has joined forces with daughter Carmen. Together they had four performances in the USA four times. There were 5 successful CDs and DVDs with duets: Like father, like daughter, Country Café, Homeland, Never Ending Love and Remember Me. Homeland received in the USA the "International CD of the Year Award 2010", awarded by the Rural Roots Commission in Iowa. From War Child, Ben and Carmen were granted exclusive permission to use images from the Foundation during the No. No winners in war. A special moment on this DVD. Since 2011, Ben and Carmen are regularly featured on Sky TV with clips in England, Ireland and Scotland's popular Phil Mack Country Show. At the request of the viewers, they are now part of the "Phil Mack Country Show On The Road" a few times a year and regularly perform in En-landed and Ireland. In December 2013, they became the number one of the 130 nominated Countryacts from Europe, with the Fans voting. In Austria, therefore, they received the Golden Country Award in 2013. In May 2014, Ben and Carmen have been an hour in the TV program "Time for Max", with the more than 50 years of Ben's career being highlighted. George Baker and Lee Towers spoke in a video message for their father and daughter. During the performances in the country one can expect repertoire of the own CDs, alternated with known covers, in short, for all tastes. Ben Steneker & Daughter Carmen Carmen has literally grown up with Country Music. At the age of 8 she sang with her father the first song "But you love me daddy", released on LP and later on CD ("Hello Again" and "The Best of Ben Steneker"). Verknocht at Country Music, Carmen chose for the Dutch (more) popular Top 40 and Dutch genre. For example, she sang for a number of years in the soundwave duo at corporate celebrations, weddings and parties. Playing on her acoustic guitar could not be missed.
During this period, she, with her father, has taken several times for her CDs ("Rose of my heart", "How I Love You", "Someone to Hold Me", "We Believe In Happy Endings" etc.). After "Soundwave" she could not let it sing. She has rejected some offers to be saved in wedding bands to ultimately choose her love for Country Music. She was writing, composing and singing herself. Rating In the Countryscene she has gained much appreciation to the public. The repertoire she attends ranges from some "Gouwe Ouwe" songs to Lake Linedance's more targeted work. In exchange she forms a happy duo with her father. Meanwhile she performed at several major country events, including Floralia, Hemelrijk, The Western Experience, Starriders Festival, two major festivals in Denmark, and she was "live" guest in "KRO's Country Corner". There are invitations to international festivals in Ame-rich, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and England. Also, she has been seen and heard on Veronica, RTL-4, KRO, TV East, Radio East, etc. On the CD "Route 65" of father Ben, Carmen is also a party with two duets, multiple Songs backing vocals and not to mention two of the songs on the cd are written by Carmen tw "Run Away" and "I really do not know". September 2000 and 2002 she was a guest in America at the "USA Traditional Country Festival" of Bob Everhart in Avoca (Iowa). At this festival, the song "Run Away" she was awarded was awarded the "Foreign Song Award". She performed acoustically (solo with only her guitar) for a total of 40,000 people who visited the festival. She was again asked for in 2003 in Nebraska and Iowa and also for the Buffalo Ranch Festival in Illinois. First CD
The first solo CD is since Oct. 2001 a fact: "Carmen's Country Fever", featuring 6 original songs (Country Fever) and "What We Share" of their own) and further smooth (linedance) Covers (Countryrock). Results of Carmen at the "Dutch Country Music Awards": 5th in "Most Popular CD of 2001" and 2002 2nd in "Most Promising Acts" 6th in "Most Popular Singer Songs". In October 2003 the 2nd solo album "Slow (E) Motions" appeared and this CD was well received by the media. In the "Langs de Lijn" sports program, songs from this album were broadcast, from RTV-East, Carmen received the highly-desired "Super Star" for Slow (E) Motions and local and regional stations made the album "CD of the Month". Slow (E) Motions only consists of ballads, divided into 6 covers and 6 original tracks. At "Slow (E) Motions" were vocal and instrumental, including Ben Steneker, Edwin de Groot, JustInTime, Marcel Smulders (duet) & Wilma Smulders (Savannah), Dick van Altena (Major Dundee), Johan Janssen (Steel), Joost van Es (Fiddle) and Herman Beumers (Sax). In September 2003, Carmen was in third place for performances in Io-wa and Nebraska (Mid America). Her tour was so successful that there were again invitations for 2004. The leading monthly magazine in the Benelux: Country Gazette placed an expanded article about Carmen and her new album in October. Also in the no-vember number is the CD review of "Slow (E) Motions". By the readers of the Country Gazette, Carmen was chosen for the first 5 in the "Most Promising Country-Act" category during the "DCMA Awards 2003".
Duo Ben & Carmen In recent years Carmen has been working with father Ben. Together they were four times in the USA for performances and Carmen 1 time solo. There were 5 successful duets of CDs and DVDs: Like father, like daughter, Country Café, Homeland, Never Ending Love and Remember Me. Homeland received in the USA the "International CD of the Year Award 2010", awarded by the Rural Roots Commission in Iowa. From War Child, Ben and Carmen were granted exclusive permission to use images of the Stich thing during the number No winners in war. A special moment on the DVD. For 3 years, Ben and Carmen are regularly featured on Sky TV with clips in England, Ireland and Scotland's popular Phil Mack Country Show. At the request of the viewers, they are now part of the "Phil Mack Country Show On The Road" a few times a year and regularly perform in En-landed and Ireland. In December 2013, they became the number one of the 130 nominated Countryacts from Europe, with the Fans voting. In Austria, therefore, they received the Golden Country Award in 2013. In May 2014, Ben and Carmen have been an hour in the TV program "Time for Max", with the more than 50 years of Ben's career being highlighted. George Baker and Lee Towers spoke in a video message for their father and daughter.
Contact: Irene Steneker De Noor 40 7481 RP Buurse Haaksbergen The Netherlands Tel./Fax: +31 (0)53 569 68 78 Mobile: +31 (0)6 542 48 579 E-mail: b.p.steneker@home.nl http://www.bensteneker.com www.facebook.com/irene.steneker