Ede Staal

Biography

Ede Ulfert Staal (2 August 1941 – 22 July 1986) was a Dutch singer-songwriter from the Northern province of Groningen who sang mainly in the Gronings dialect.

Early life

Ede Staal was born in 1941 in Warffum, the son of a NSB-father (National Socialist) and a farmer's daughter. His father worked as a teacher, and his eldest son Ede would later follow in his footsteps by becoming a teacher himself.

Career

At the age of five, Staal started making music. He was inspired by his grandfather who had worked as a musical director in Leens, where he grew up.
His breakthrough came in 1974 with the song "I'm in the blues". He initially sang in English, having studied that language at university.
In 1981, he began singing in the Gronings dialect, and became well known with the comical song "Mien toentje×Mien toentjeDecember 1984 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Mien toentje2:51A2Het het nog nooit zo donker west4:34A3Grunnegers veur gevorderden3:28A4Doar bluit mien eerappellaand3:23A5Wat moakt het oet3:04A6Genoat3:11B1Credo-mien bestoan3:09B2Vrouger2:45B3Het hoogelaand2:27B4Het twijde perron3:22B5Geef mie dien blues3:38B6Zo mouvve t holn3:28" (My little garden) as well as with "t Het nog nooit zo donker west" (It has never been so dark before).
One of his last songs was the emotional "Mien hogelaand" (My high land) in which Staal sang of his love for the region where he grew up.

Personal life

Staal was an English teacher at a local high school. He married Fieke Spoel and fathered six sons. They lived on several farms throughout the province of Groningen.
Staal died of cancer in Delfzijl, aged 44, at the height of his fame. He is still famous in his homeland and also has a following outside the Netherlands.

Legacy

After his death, Staal became an iconic figure in the province of Groningen. A monument was erected in his honour near Delfzijl, where he died at his farm in 1986. His music was translated into several languages, and one of his songs, "Termunterziel" was even played in Japan.

MC

"Mien toentje×Mien toentjeDecember 1984 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Mien toentje2:51A2Het het nog nooit zo donker west4:34A3Grunnegers veur gevorderden3:28A4Doar bluit mien eerappellaand3:23A5Wat moakt het oet3:04A6Genoat3:11B1Credo-mien bestoan3:09B2Vrouger2:45B3Het hoogelaand2:27B4Het twijde perron3:22B5Geef mie dien blues3:38B6Zo mouvve t holn3:28"
"Zuzooien op zundagmörn" (1986)

Single 7"

"I'm in the blues / Hear my song" (1974)
"Mien Toentje / Man, man, wat n boudel" (1983)

EP

"Het het nog nooit zo donker west" (1984)

LPs

"Mien toentje×Mien toentjeDecember 1984 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Mien toentje2:51A2Het het nog nooit zo donker west4:34A3Grunnegers veur gevorderden3:28A4Doar bluit mien eerappellaand3:23A5Wat moakt het oet3:04A6Genoat3:11B1Credo-mien bestoan3:09B2Vrouger2:45B3Het hoogelaand2:27B4Het twijde perron3:22B5Geef mie dien blues3:38B6Zo mouvve t holn3:28" (1984)
"As vaaier woorden×As Vaaier Woorden1989 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1k Heb zeubranden, k heb koeskillen2:542Veujoar in de kop2:173De Hoaven van Delfziel2:044Wie schenken ons nog ain in2:055Het zel weer veujoar worden2:296Grunnegers veur begunners1:437Ik heb t hier bekeken3:118Nij Stoatenziel2:209Zalstoe aaltied bie mie blieven2:4110De nacht2:1411As vaaier woorden2:4712Life is more than a song3:0213When the waves are too high4:1414Sloaperstil1:33" (1986)

Mini CDs

"Zalstoe altied bie mie blieven" (1997)
"Credo – Mien bestoan" (1997)
"I'm in the blues / Hear my song" (2005)

CDs

"Mien toentje×Mien toentjeDecember 1984 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Mien toentje2:51A2Het het nog nooit zo donker west4:34A3Grunnegers veur gevorderden3:28A4Doar bluit mien eerappellaand3:23A5Wat moakt het oet3:04A6Genoat3:11B1Credo-mien bestoan3:09B2Vrouger2:45B3Het hoogelaand2:27B4Het twijde perron3:22B5Geef mie dien blues3:38B6Zo mouvve t holn3:28" (1984)
"As vaaier woorden×As Vaaier Woorden1989 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1k Heb zeubranden, k heb koeskillen2:542Veujoar in de kop2:173De Hoaven van Delfziel2:044Wie schenken ons nog ain in2:055Het zel weer veujoar worden2:296Grunnegers veur begunners1:437Ik heb t hier bekeken3:118Nij Stoatenziel2:209Zalstoe aaltied bie mie blieven2:4110De nacht2:1411As vaaier woorden2:4712Life is more than a song3:0213When the waves are too high4:1414Sloaperstil1:33" (1986)
"Zuzooien op zundagmörn" (1993)
"As t boeten störmt / Hear my song" (1996)
"Doarom zing ik×Doarom zing ik2005 · OtherSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1I'm In The Blues2:272Life Is More Than a Song (alternative Versie)3:043Me and My Truck, Baby Jane2:414The Party Is Over2:165Silent Night3:036Credo - Mien bestoan (live in Veendam 01-11-1984)3:287Vrouger (live in Veendam 01-11-1984)2:418't Hogelaand (live in Veendam 01-11-1984)2:269't Twijde perron (live in Veendam 01-11-1984)3:1610Geef mie dien blues (Live in Veendam 01-11-1984)3:3711Nij Stoatenziel (live in Veendam 01-11-1984)2:2012't Het nog nooit zo donker west (instrumentaal)4:21" (2005)
"Getekend" (2006)

Compilations

"Heur es aan!" (Bureau Groninger Taal en Cultuur, RuG, 1999)
"De grootste Groninger hits van RTV Noord" (RTV Noord/Marista, 2006)
"Kennismaking met het Gronings" (lecture notes with CD, 2007)

DVDs

"Ede Staal" (2004)
"Ede Staal, Live " (2005)
"Credo, zien bestoan" (2011)