James Brothers

Die James Brothers are a German Schlager duo consisting of singers Peter Kraus and Jörg Maria Berg. Formed in 1958 by music producer Gerhard Mendelson, the group was modeled after the Everly Brothers. Their first single "Wenn", a cover of The Kalin Twins' hit "When", was released in November 1958 and became a chart success. Over four years, Die James Brothers released 13 singles, including hits like "Cowboy Billy" (1959) and "Sensationell" (1959), appearing in the music film Melodie und Rhythmus in 1959. The duo's upbeat Schlager music featured compositions by Werner Scharfenberger and Erwin Halletz. Their repertoire included international covers and original German songs. Die James Brothers toured successfully, performing with artists like Louis Armstrong. However, their popularity declined in the early 1960s with the rise of the Beat movement. Their final single under the Die James Brothers name, featuring Peter Kraus and Gina Dobra, was released in late 1963 but did not achieve commercial success. Subsequent years saw a resurgence during the Rock-'n'-Roll Revival, with compilations like Wenn in 1981 and complete studio recordings on CD in the late 1980s and mid-1990s.