Jonny Hill

Born as Feri Gillming in Graz on July 27, 1940, Jonny Hill established himself as an Austrian musician and entertainer. A short period working as an actor preceded his discovery by German composer Lotar Olias, who promoted him as a singer after noting the strong resemblance between Hill's voice and that of fellow Austrian performer Freddy Quinn. The 1969 release of his debut album Eine Reise um die Welt ("A Journey Around the World") led to further recordings in pop and country styles. His peak achievement arrived with the 1979 single "Ruf Teddybär Eins-Vier" ("Call Teddy Bear One-Four"), which earned a gold record and climbed to number eight on the German charts. Music releases maintained moderate success for Hill well into the 21st century, complemented by television work that included hosting RTL's German country music program Kilometer 330 from 1989 to 1992. Author Folke Tegetthoff is his brother.