Harry Winter

Biography

Harry winter was a German-Austrian singer, musician and band director. He studied violin and clarinet at the Academy of Music and played in jazz and swing dance orchestras to earn a living, later becoming a bandleader. During the Nazi era, Winter adjusted to the regulations, and concentrated on singing and light dance music. As a Wehrmacht soldier, he was taken prisoner by American forces in late World War II.Released from captivity after the war he proceeded to Vienna, where he first performed at the Konzerthaus and founded his own dance orchestra in 1946. His swing concerts became increasingly popular in Austria. Winter could sign a recording contract and his orchestra was a guest in several Austrian radio shows. In the 1950s Winter performed in several revues and variety films with stars like Marika Rökk, but also played with jazz musicians like Hans Koller and Joe Zawinul. In 1960 he represented Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1977 he became Kapellmeister of the highly traditional Austrian Hoch- und Deutschmeister military orchestra. Winter continued to perform in concerts and TV shows into middle age.

Hrry Winter  died on December 3, 2001, aged 87.