Kurt-Adolf Thelen was born on 9 March 1911 in Homberg, Germany, and began his musical career as a singer, gaining recognition in the 1950s for his interpretations of carnival and drinking songs. His major commercial success came in 1954 with “Am 30. Mai ist der Weltuntergang”, recorded in collaboration with the Sunshine-Quartett, the Golgowsky-Quartett, and Will Glahé’s orchestra, which reached Number 1 in Germany and established him within the Schlager scene. In the early 1960s he released further popular recordings, including “Ich hab’ den Vater Rhein in seinem Bett geseh’n”, along with novelty and drinking songs such as “Du alte Flasche”, continuing his association with ensemble and orchestral performances. Throughout the following years, Thelen remained active as a recording artist, with his work later appearing on numerous reissues and compilations, including posthumous releases such as Ich hab den Vater Rhein in seinem Bett geseh’n (2014). His career was marked by a sustained presence in German popular music, and his legacy within Schlager continued through archival releases following his death on 17 January 1990.
