Maintaining German folk traditions alongside karnevalsmusik well into the twenty-first century, Die Höhner continued performing in the distinctive Köln dialect of their hometown. The quartet originated in 1972 when Peter Werner, Walter Pelzer, Rolf Lessenich, and Janus Fröhlich established the ensemble under the playful title Höhnerhoff, translating to "Chickenyard." True to that whimsical label, the musicians launched their earliest performances wearing chicken outfits, transforming stages into barnyard scenes and showering spectators with feathers. Their initial chart breakthrough arrived with the 1973 single "Höhnerhoff-Rock," soon followed in 1974 by the popular track "Scheiss Ejal, ob Do Hohn Bes Oder Hahn." The following year the group shortened its name to Die Höhner and served as headliners for the stage farce Drei Dag ahl Kölle. A nationwide tour commenced in 1976, reaching peak attendance at the Lachende Münsterhalle.
Rolf Lessenich departed amid growing acclaim in 1977, after which new frontman Peter Horn guided the recording of "Unsre Bock Ess Meister" as a tribute to football club 1. FC Köln; supporters embraced the song so thoroughly that Die Höhner became permanently linked to the club's cultural identity. Walter Pelzer soon exited as well, and following the addition of Franz Martin Willizil the lineup expanded to five members with Günter Steinig's arrival in 1979. The 1980 hit "Ich Ben Clown," inevitably paired with clown-costumed live shows, preceded a move to major label EMI and the album Ich Bin Ne Räuber, which climbed to number three on the German pop charts. Subsequent releases such as Schlawiner and Op Jöck strengthened the band's following, yielding multiple industry awards and honors that peaked with the 1985 Rote-Funken-Orden bestowed upon "Echte Fründe."
After nearly a decade, Peter Horn stepped down in 1986, leading to the recruitment of lead singer Henning Krautmacher; both vocalists appeared on 10 Jahre Stimmung Us Kölle. The group then retired its clown costumes permanently and further abbreviated its name to simply "Höhner" with the 1987 album Für Dich. Two years later "Nase Vorn" appeared, with all proceeds directed to UNICEF. Günter Steinig resigned next, and Hannes Schöner, who had supplied backing vocals on the three prior Höhner albums, took his place. In 1992 the ensemble unveiled Zwei Zimmer, Küche, Diele, Bad, inaugurating a series of hybrid performance pieces labeled "comcertos." At the same time the musicians highlighted their serious commitments by collaborating with the anti-racism initiative Arsch Huh AG. Höhner's stature grew so markedly that an automobile named the Rosenmontagszug was created in their honor during 1993, the same year they introduced the second comcerto, Wartesaal der Träume. The band supplied theme music for the television series Die Weltings vom Bahnhof and made several on-screen appearances. Their third comcerto, Hanhnewaldklinik, debuted in 1995, and the LP Classic received the Goldene Musikbox award.
The first Christmas album, Doheim un Üvverall, emerged in 1996. Silver-anniversary observances included the concert series Zeitreise: 25 Jahre Höhner together with the double album Fünfundzwanzig Jahre Kult. Health issues prompted Franz Martin Willizil's departure after the chart success of "Die Karawane Zieht Weiter." Peter Bauchwitz joined as replacement, enabling the new comcerto Club Sultano. A partnership with Köln's Circus Roncalli produced the 2000 Höhner Rockin' Roncalli Show, which yielded both CD and DVD editions. The thirtieth anniversary was marked by a gala performance at the Köln Arena. Bauchwitz departed after five years in 2003, and Jens Streifling filled the vacancy. Two additional Höhner Rockin' Roncalli Show productions followed in 2004, while the single "Alles Was Ich Will" returned the group to the German pop charts. Recognition as the most popular carnival act came via the 2006 Die Goldene Krone, after which further chart entries arrived with "Ohne Dich Geht Es Nicht" and "Dä Kölsche Pass." The next year "Wenn Nicht Jetzt, Wann Dann?" served as the official theme for the Handball-Weltmeisterschaft 2007, generating sufficient exposure to secure Höhner's first number-one position on the German charts.
