Kuhn, Paul

Pianist, singer, entertainer

Born: 12.03.1928 in Wiesbaden

Died: 23.09.2013 in Bad Wildungen

Paul ("Paulchen") Kuhn was born as the son of Martin Kuhn (1893-1963), a businessman who later worked for the authorities and was ultimately a croupier at the casino, and his wife Luise, née Brömser (1894-1962).

He discovered his musical talent as a child and played the accordion for guests at the Eimer restaurant and Café Maldaner. In 1936, he made his first television appearance at the Berlin Radio Exhibition. After attending the "Musisches Gymnasium in Frankfurt", Kuhn spent a few months in Paris in 1944 as a troop advisor. He then returned to his home town to study music at the Wiesbaden Conservatory.

He had already discovered swing, which was ostracized by the National Socialists, early on and made a career for himself with this style after the Second World War. He was helped by the fact that Wiesbaden had a strong American garrison. In 1946, he founded his own trio. He performed in front of G.I.s and got a job at the AFN military radio station as leader of the AFN band, for which he wrote arrangements. He once called this time his "second education". He received music booklets from the Americans and acquired a broad repertoire.

In 1950, he left Wiesbaden and initially moved to Düsseldorf. In 1954, he landed his first big hit with the song "Der Mann am Klavier". Nine years later, his hit "Es gibt kein Bier auf Hawaii" became just as popular. However, he probably showed his greatest talent as a jazz pianist and as an entertainer in countless television shows. Last but not least, he was also active as an actor.

In 1968, he was appointed conductor of the renowned big band of Sender Freies Berlin (SFB), a position he held until its dissolution in 1980. He took part in the major television galas of those years with the SFB dance orchestra. He then moved to Cologne, where he founded the equally legendary "Paul Kuhn Big Band".

Until shortly before his death, he toured with the trios he had founded. He celebrated his 80th birthday with a gala concert in the city of his birth.