Horst Wende

Horst Wende was born on November 5, 1919, in Zeitz, Germany. Wende was a bandleader, arranger, and composer who mastered instruments including the piano, accordion, and xylophone. During World War II, he was captured by British forces and formed a musical combo with guitarist Ladi Geisler while in a Danish prisoner-of-war camp. Following the war, Wende settled in Hamburg and signed with Polydor Records in the 1950s. He gained popularity under the pseudonym Roberto Delgado, recording albums influenced by Latin, African, and Jewish music. Discography releases include the albums Africana (1958) and Dance to Delgado (1960), and the hit single “Mexico” (1962). His song “Skokiaan” (1958) was featured in the 1990 film Slacker. Wende died on January 23, 1996.