George de Fretes (1921-1981) was a musician from Indonesia who found fame in the Netherlands. Like his fellow countrymen Ming Luhulima and Rudi Wairata, he found sizable popularity in the Netherlands and Europe playing Hawaiian music.
Background Originally from the Maluku Islands, Indonesia, De Fretes was born 23 December 1921 in Bandung.Berita Satu 28 August 2014 RRI Ambon Abadikan Musisi George de Fretes Sebagai Nama Auditorium He was married to Joyce Aubrey and together they had a daughter Wanda, who was born in Bandung, Indonesia in 1946 and became a recording artist, like her musical parents.Recollecting Resonances: Indonesian-Dutch Musical Encounters Edited by Bart Barendregt and Els Boegerts Page 286 Chapter twelve, Rein SpoormanIndo-Rock-Gallery Wanda & Joyce By 1952, de Fretes and Aubrey had divorced and she had moved to the Netherlands, taking their daughter Wanda with her.Eastindonesia.com Wanda & Joyce Aubrey joined The Mena Moeria Minstrels as their singer. The group was headed by Ming Luhulima.Recollecting Resonances: Indonesian-Dutch Musical Encounters Edited by Bart Barendregt and Els Boegerts Page 286 Chapter twelve, Rein Spoorman It is believed that de Fretes stowed away on a ship called the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt and arrived in the Netherlands around 1958.The Waikiki Islanders website Rudi Wairata, *1958* *1958*The Fanzine 17.11.15 Turn Down for Everything: An Annotated Playlist - Molly BrodakBluesharmonica.nl Hawaiian muziek met o.a de Kilima Hawaiians en George de Fretes. In later years, de Fretes moved to the United States where he resided in California, DEEL 2:
Death De Fretes died on 19 November 1981.BBC Music, George de Fretes He is buried next to his idol Sol Hoʻopiʻi.Concertzender.nl Saturday 15 March 2014 23:00 - 00:00 Exitos Musicales, Surata Istana of Krontjong Minstrels led by George De Fretes (repeat).
Career De Fretes was a multi instrumentalist. In addition to the steel guitar, he also played guitar, violin, trumpet and saxophone.Sam Sam Music George de Fretes and his Royal Hawaiian Minstrels - The Home Recordings Vol.5 He became a popular artist in the Netherlands, and like Luhulima, gained his fame there.Recollecting Resonances: Indonesian-Dutch Musical Encounters Edited by Bart Barendregt and Els Boegerts Page 286 Chapter twelve, Rein SpoormanLanguage Endangerment and Language Maintenance: An Active Approach Page 295 Along with Luhulima he was responsible for the Portuguese style or genre of music in the Netherlands called Kroncong becoming well known.Concealment, Maintenance and Renaissance: language and ethnicity in the Moluccan community in The Netherlands Page 24 He is also credited with teaching Rudi Wairata techniques on the steel guitar.The Waikiki Islanders Rudi Wairata *1950* *1950*
In 1960, he released an EP record on the Fontana label that featured the song "Ou' OelateZ". The record also featured Joyce Aubrey and Bill Toma on vocals.University of Hawaii Hawaiian Music Collection, Song Title: Ou' Oelate In 1966, he joined the Tielman Brothers and went on tour with them. He also recorded an album with Frank Valdor in 1966. Later he left to settle in the United States permanently.Bluesharmonica.nl Hawaiian muziek met o.a de Kilima Hawaiians en George de Fretes, DEEL 2: The Power Of Indonesia The Tielman Brothers, The greatest Indorock legend Around 1970 or 1971, Hula Girl was released on the Eclipse label. This was a re-release of an earlier album, Aloha Keakua that was released on the Omega label.BMG; Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar Page 294
In September 2010, his daughter Wanda took a trip from California to the third Chanos International Steel Guitar Festival aka CISGF which was held in Chanos-Curson, France, to receive a posthumous European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame award for her father.Pedalpro.co.uk Jan Visser awarded at the CISGF 2010 by Jan Visser and Digby Hardy
LP Discography + George de Fretes albums Act Title Release info Year F Notes George de Fretes George De Fretes Decca SLQ 25000 10" LP George de Fretes En Zijn Krontjong-orkest Indonesian Folklore Decca XBY 846 519 LP George de Fretes Heimwee Naar Insulinde Decca 1988 CD German release
+ The Royal Hawaiian Minstrels albums Act Title Release info Year F Notes George de Fretes & His Royal Hawaiian Minstrels Hawaiian Paradise Decca – NP 356 001 LP George de Fretes and his Royal Hawaiian Minstrels Aloha Keakoa Omega 333 075 LP Royal Hawaiian Minstrels O.l.v. George de Fretes met zang van: Wanda, Sita en de Samoa Voices Royal Hawaiian Minstrels O.l.v. George de Fretes met zang van: Wanda, Sita en de Samoa Voices Iris Records 15042 LP George de Fretes And The South-Sea-Melodians Island In The SunHawaiian-Klänge Mit George De Fretes And The South-Sea-Melodians Tip 633 147 LP Royal Hawaiian Minstrels aka South Sea Melodians The Royal Hawaiian Minstrels Conducted by George de Fretes With The Samoa Voices Beautiful Hawaii: The Most Beautiful Hawaiian Songs PMF Records 90 533-2 1991 CD Discogs George de Fretes Discography, Albums
+ George de Fretes En Zijn Suara Istana albums Act Title Release info Year F Notes George de Fretes En Zijn Suara Istana Heimwee Naar Insulinde Decca 625 372 QL 1976 LP Discogs George de Fretes Discography, Albums
References
External links The Legend George De Fretes Music Record Indo-Rock-Gallery - George de Fretes Blues Harmonica site: Hawaiian muziek met o.a de Kilima Hawaiians en George de Fretes Driwan Music Record Cybernuseun: The Legend George De Fretes Music Record