Jørgen Ingmann (April 26, 1925 – March 21, 2015) was born in Copenhagen and was a famous Danish jazz and pop guitarist. He was popular in Europe, and in 1961 gained wider international recognition for his version of the hit „Apache“.

„Apache“ was originally recorded in June 1960 by the British band The Shadows. Ingmann’s cover version was noted in 1961 and appeared at the top of the charts of many countries.

On Ingman was influenced by American guitarist and studio recording pioneer Les Paul. In the mid-1950s, Jørgen founded his own studio, and began to produce recordings titled Jørgen Ingmann & His Guitar.

Family success

In 1955, Ingman met Danish singer Greta (June 17, 1938 – August 18. 1990). She began her career at the age of 17, was a singer of a pop quartet. Malihini Hawaiians. Soon after, the artist sang with a Danish guitarist. Jörn Grauengaard and his trio.

Pair married in 1956 and performed as a duo, Grethe og Jørgen Ingmann. After winning the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix in 1963, they represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 1963

Their performance with the song „Dansevise“ („Dance Ballad“), broadcast live broadcast on the British BBC (host country for this year’s event), won the top prize, first Denmark wins the Eurovision Song Contest with the song „Dansevise“ (Dance Ballad), music by Otto Franker and a text written by Seyr Volmer-Sørensen.

Nor one other Danish song has never won first place in the Eurovision Song Contest before the year 2000, before that, when the Olsen brothers won with their song „Fly on the Wings of Love“. And after them in 2013, when Emmyly De Forest won with the song „Only Teardrops“.

With according to contemporaries, Jørgen was a much bigger phenomenon than just the first winner. Eurovision in Denmark 1963, he was also the first winner of Scandinavia, but, first of all, he was one of the best guitarists in the world. Greta and Jørgen Ingmann continued their music career together until they divorced in 1975.

Greta she remarried in 1977 to a man she met after a divorce. At Jørgen has had a short two-year marriage since 1979, but according to close friends, the divorce from Greta was devastating for Jørgen. The couple has two children together.

After Greta Ingmann successfully continued her career as a solo artist, participating in the Danish national selection for Eurovision twice more, finishing fifth place in 1978 and second in 1979.

Passing Decade of struggle with alcoholism, Greta Ingmann died of liver cancer in 1990 year at the age of 52.

Jørgen Ingmann died on 21 March 2015 at the age of 89. Henrik Kristoffersen in 2003 he published Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann. „I had these long and enjoyable conversations with Jørgen. more than a year or a year and a half since 2001… At the time, I didn’t know how unique it was. it was that I got so close to him,“ says Henrik Kristoffersen.

„He was a very sensitive person. Incredibly sensitive and emotional, In fact. Jørgen was not one to shout or speak in capital letters. He was very simple and cared about those he loved,“ henrik says. Kristoffersen.

But Jørgen had another side that helped him become amazing. as a guitarist, and made a huge contribution to the duo Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann. „He was incredible. a perfectionist and very sincere… there was no book or book in the apartment at home. something else that would stand out of place… although it was extremely experienced, he always practiced and it continued until he attain perfection,“ says Henrik Kristoffersen.