Hans Hartz

Born in 1943 in the port city of Husum, German singer/songwriter Hans Hartz began his career fronting Lake, the Hamburg-based skiffle-infused skirt band, in 1967. His debut album Sturm, which also became his most popular, appeared in 1982 and contained the hit single "Die Weißen Tauben Sind Müde." The platinum-certified release positioned the gravel-voiced crooner as a major figure on the regional pop circuit. Nur Steine Leben Lang followed in 1983, with Musik aus der Ferne arriving two years later. Hartz achieved international success in 1991 through "Sail Away," a track that drew widespread notice after appearing in a Beck's beer television advertisement. He maintained an active schedule of touring and recording across the 1990s until his death from lung cancer complications in 2002.