Jürgen Drews

Jürgen Drews, born on 2 April 1945 in Nauen near Berlin, is one of the most recognisable names in German schlager music. Growing up in Schleswig, he won an award as the best banjo player in Schleswig-Holstein at the age of 15. After a brief stint studying medicine at the University of Kiel, he pursued music full-time. In the late 1960s he played guitar in the Kiel-based psychedelic rock band "Chimes of Freedom" (later renamed "Die Anderen") and made his acting debut in the German film comedy "Die Lümmel von der ersten Bank" (1968). His profile rose further through his time with the Les Humphries Singers before he launched a solo career in 1976 with the country crossover hit "Ein Bett im Kornfeld", which broke onto the German pop charts. In the 1990s he staged a major comeback with the eurodance track "König von Mallorca" (1999), earning him the nickname that has defined him ever since. In Mallorca he performed regularly at the Bierkönig, becoming a central figure in the island's party scene. Releases appeared on labels including Polydor and Ariola Records. In 2022, Drews retired from his active career due to health reasons.