Jack Jersey

The first years

Jack de Nijs was born in 1941 at Tjimahi in West Java, Indonesia. At the age of seven he received a Ukulele as a present, and was soon allowed to play in the local village band. A young age he showed talent as a musician and composer. In 1951 the family moved to the Netherlands, where he came into contact with a different life and music style. During high school he started his first band, named The Dixies Stampers, with jazz and dixieland music.

After leaving high school, he went to a college for hotel management in Maastricht. Here he formed his second band, a quartet known as The Four Sweeters and afterward he continued in Jack and Woody. Al together they released more than ten records. None of them were successful though.

Then he became the lead singer of The Loosers, from 1964 tot 1967. They were signed by CNR that promoted them and some other bands as Beat from Holland. In 1965 their first single Since You're Gone / Mexico was released. Only the first, however, is a beat song. The second is a cover version of Elvis Presley from his fim Fun in Acapulco (1963). It was written by the Peruvian composer Francis Lopez. Over there, in Peru, this song became a number #1 hit.

After receiving his diploma for Hotel Management (BBA), Jack gave up his aspiration to make a success of the music business. In the meantime he married Ella and started to work for an multinational.

Return

Music was too much appealing and he decided to give it a try again. He changed his approach and started working as a producer and composer for a record company. After teaming up with Henk Voorheijen he got a contract with Polydor Records for 500 Dutch Guilders a month. His first hit Oh...Antoinette was released by Leo den Hop. One of the following hits was Gina Lollobrigida (about the so called actress). Himself, he released Sofia Loren (1970) on a single. Both songs were recorded by the singer Ray Miller (Rainer Müller) as well who had two hits with them in Germany.

In 1971 De Nijs recorded Blame It On The Summersun under the artist name Ruby Nash. This was his first English language recording. He started his own production company, and Henk Voorheijen participated for business matters. Meanwhile he was father of a son and a daughter who he, however, hardly saw.

Jack Jersey

A couple of singles later he changed his name to Jack Jersey and continued singing in English. Jersey refers to the British island near France. It embarked a successful period in his music career, with some international hits.

His first English single I'm Calling (1973) was declared Alarm Disc at Radio Veronica and became his first mayor hit in the Netherlands and Belgium. Hit that followed were In The Still Of The Night, Papa Was A Poor Man and Blue Brown Eyed Lady. His biggest hit was Sri-Lanka ... My Shangri-Lah that charted in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

In 1973 he was member of the groupe Brabants Bont, with artists like Yvonne de Nijs, Leo den Hop, Jan Boezeroen en Wil de Bras. In 1974 his album In The Still Of The Night peaked at #3 in the album top of Radio Hilversum 3.

Invited by Capitol Records he record an album in Nashville with The Jordanaires, the group that had accompanied Elvis Presley for many years. For the European market it was released as I Wonder and for the American market as Honky Tonk Man.

In the meantime he produced and composed for other artists, like Nick MacKenzie and André Moss. They had international hits with songs of De Nijs. His songs were recorded by, among others, Zangeres Zonder Naam, Andy Tielman and the Tielman Brothers and the American singer Donna Lynton.

In May 1982 he had a hit with Puerto de Llansa (Lady Rose) in the Netherlands. Just a couple of months later he was appointed Honorary citizen for it by the Mayor of Llançà, a fishing village on the Costa Brava in Spain.

In 1985 and 1986 polyps were observed at his vocal folds, and a couple of years later, in 1988, a malignant tumor was found on his pharynx and larynx. Nine years later he died at the consequences of it in the arms of his wife at an age of 55 years.

Music Awards

Certifications as a singer and or songwriter and or musicproducer:

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1980

1981

1983

1989

Albums

The Album Top was compiled by Radio Veronica (organizer of the Dutch Top 40) and followed up by the Album Top 100 (organizer of the National Hitparade / Single Top 100). These two are in this following order combined in the next list.

Singles

Here follows a compilation of singles of Jack Jersey. At the beginning he released records under his own name Jack de Nijs and the alias Ruby Nash. "Hitparade" in the list refers to the National Hitparade, although this name has changed several times in history. Former names were Hilversum 3 Top 30 (1969-71), Daverende Dertig (1971-74), Nationale Hitparade (1974-89) and National Top 100 (1989-93). In 1987 the National Hitparade evolved from a top 50 to a top 100.