Gus Backus – born Donald Backus on September 12, 1937, in Long Island, New York – was a schlager singer and actor who started his career in the U.S. but achieved his biggest success in Germany. His musical career began when he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In March 1957, he joined the racially mixed doo wop group the Del-Vikings after they had already scored their first hit, “Come Go with Me”. He appeared on their next hit, “Whispering Bells”, and sang lead on “Cool Shake” before he was transferred to Germany. His career as a schlager singer began the following year with a series of singles although none of them were commercially successful. Choosing to remain in Germany after being discharged from the army, he continued his musical career, singing pop songs in German, albeit with an American accent. Gus Backus finally scored a big hit in 1961 with “Der Mann im Mond”. His film career began during this time, appearing as a singer in many films and TV shows throughout the 1960s. He also began to sing songs in English, releasing numerous singles and albums until the end of the ‘60s. With the hits drying up in Germany, Gus Backus left the music industry, moving back to the United States in 1973. He worked as an oil field foreman in Texas before moving back to Germany in the 1980s. He then became involved with the oldies circuit, finally retiring in 2014. Gus Backus died on February 21, 2019, at the age of 81.
