Dutch pop and levenslied singer Frans Bauer has been a popular artist in the Netherlands and Germany, beginning his musical career in 1987 when he was still a teenager. Born in Rosendaal in 1973, Bauer gained fame in 1991 for appearing on the Dutch television show All You Need Is Love. He became a chart presence during the mid-'90s, both solo and with Marianne Weber (their biggest hit together being the Dutch number one "De Regenboog"). He was also the subject of a 2003 reality show, De Bauers, which focused on his family life. He went on to become an ambassador of Villa Pardoes, a holiday retreat for children with life-threatening diseases, and in 2004 he was made a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau for both his charity work and singing. Throughout his career, Bauer achieved a string of Dutch number one records, including 1996's For You, 2002's Close to You, and 2011's Brand. In 2016, he released his 15th number one with the album Geluk Hoop & Liefde. ~ John Bush