Blue Diamonds

The Blue Diamonds were a Dutch pop– and doo-wop-band. The group was founded in 1959 by the brothers Ruud and Riem de Wolff. Their biggest hit was the song “Ramona”, which was released in 1960. The song was released in five languages and reached the charts in the USA, Great Britain, Germany and other countries. Over the course of their career, the Blue Diamonds released more than 130 titles and sold 20 million records worldwide. They also appeared in two feature films and were the stars of the musical “Ten Million Commandments”. Ruud de Wolff died in 2000, but his brother Riem performed occasionally with his son until his death in 2017.

The career of the Blue Diamonds

Ruud de Wolff, born on May 12, 1941, died on December 18, 2000, and Riem de Wolff, born on April 15, 1943, died on September 12, 2017, were born in Indonesia. In 1949, they moved to the Netherlands with their family – consisting of their parents, sister and younger brother. Their father encouraged them to learn to play the guitar, and after they were able to accompany each other singing, they formed a band at the end of the 1950s.

They were discovered at a cultural festival and signed a recording contract in 1959 under the artist name “Blue Diamonds”. Their first single, a cover version of “Till I Kissed You” by the Everly Brothers, was a great success and led to further cover versions by the Everly Brothers.

From 1960 to 1969, the Blue Diamonds worked closely with producer Jack Bultermann. He rearranged older titles and offered them to the duo. Even before they were released on record, the duo appeared on Dutch television and presented the song “Ramona”. The song “Ramona” is a waltz. It was written in 1928 by the American composer Mabel Wayne for the silent movie “Ramona”.

The Blue Diamonds turned the slow waltz into a lively foxtrot, which became their biggest success. Ramona” sold 250,000 copies in the Netherlands and was also a hit in Germany, where the duo won a gold record record. The song was released in five languages and was also successful in the USA and Great Britain. In Germany, the Blue Diamonds frequently appeared on television shows and starred in two films, including “Ramona”.

In 1962, Ruud and Riem de Wolff were drafted into the military, which temporarily interrupted their career. However, they returned in 1963 with the German hit “Sukiyaki”, a cover version of a song by Kyū Sakamoto. In 1965, they took part in the German Schlager Festival and reached sixth place with “Gib dein Wort, Linda Lou”, which was their last major success in the German charts. In the same year, Ruud married the Mexican singer Leda Moreno.

In 1971, the Blue Diamonds appeared in the successful musical “Ten Million Commandments”, which was also performed internationally. Their popularity was reflected in successful tours through Europe, Asia and Central America. Their repertoire comprises around 130 titles and their record sales reached twenty million.

Studio albums by Blue Diamonds

• 1981 Zingend tussen twee werelden
• 1985 De best van…
• 1986 25 years
• 1995 35 Jaar The Blue Diamonds
• 2015 The Golden Years Of Dutch Pop Music