Heinz, born Heinz Burt on 24 July 1942 in Detmold, Germany, was a British rock'n'roll singer. Raised in Eastleigh, Hampshire, England, from the age of seven, his musical journey began with local group the Falcons in the 1950s. His breakthrough came when he caught the attention of record producer Joe Meek, who styled his image and launched him into the music industry. Heinz's first single "Dreams Do Come True" was released in May 1963, but did not achieve commercial success. However, his tribute to Eddie Cochran, "Just Like Eddie", became a notable hit, reaching number five in the UK in 1963. This success coincided with the rise of The Beatles and marked Heinz's peak in commercial achievement. Despite his early promise, Heinz struggled to maintain momentum as Merseybeat gained popularity. Professional and personal disagreements with Joe Meek led to the end of their collaboration, and Joe Meek's subsequent suicide marked the end of Heinz's solo recording career. Heinz continued performing in theatre and pantomime throughout the 1970s and beyond. He performed until his death from motor neurone disease on 7 April 2000, aged 57.
