The Common Linnets

The Common Linnets are a Dutch band that formed in 2013. The band members were originally individual artists Ilse DeLange and Waylon who have known each other for years before the formation of the duo.^[1] DeLange has stated that the group is a platform for Dutch artists to make country, Americana, or bluegrass music and that the members will be changing. In May 2014, Waylon left the group and was replaced by American country singer Jake Etheridge. Their song "Calm After the Storm", which is on their debut album The Common Linnets, reached second place in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 and gave the Netherlands their best result since their last winning entry in 1975. The song became a hit throughout Europe.

Name

Ilse de Lange and Waylon are both from the eastern part of the Netherlands. In Dutch, people from this region are sometimes called heikneuters, referring to the songbird kneu.^[2] In English this bird is called a common linnet. So in fact, DeLange and Waylon are both songbirds from the eastern Netherlands. The name for the band is an idea from Dutch designer Rens Dekker,^[3] who is also responsible for the artwork design of their single and self-titled album.

Members

The band was originally composed of individual country artists Ilse DeLange and Waylon. However, Waylon stated that the band was created by Ilse and that she is, at the moment, the main leader. Ilse said that she created the band as a project or a "platform" for Dutch artists to make country, Americana or bluegrass music. Both artists stated that both artists can "be replaced" by other musicians.^[4] Since May 2014 the band excuses out of Ilse DeLange, JB Meijers, Jake Etheridge and Matthew Crosby (also the writers of the hit song "Calm After the storm".

Ilse DeLange was born on 13 May 1977 in Almelo, Netherlands. She started her career at the age of 8 as a lip-synching artist, which won her several contests. De Lange drew greater attention after switching to a live repertoire in both regional and national talent shows in Hilversum (the Dutch town where most TV-programs are recorded). This helped her book some live-performances on national television. She formed a duo with guitarist Joop Liefland, who introduced her to country music.

Waylon was born on 20 April 1980 in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. His stage name came from the name of his idol Waylon Jennings. After the Eurovision contest, the band went on a promotional tour in the Netherlands and some European countries. Fans however noted the absence of Waylon raising suspicion that he has left the group or even had been permanently replaced. Waylon wrote an article on his official Facebook website that "both members did not foresee the success of the band" and that he is currently occupied with his album that is going to be released in September 2014.^[5][6]

JB Meijers was born on 10 June 1972 in Delft, Netherlands. Before joining the Common Linnets, Meijers played guitar in Dutch indie bands Charmin' Children, Shine and Supersub. He also played with De Dijk, Eboman and Acda & De Munnik and worked as a producer. Meijers replaced Waylon as the frontman of the band alongside DeLange. Meijers wrote the song Calm of the Storm.

History

The Common Linnets performing during a dress rehearsal for the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2014

2013–14: Eurovision and debut album

On 25 November 2013, the Dutch Eurovision Song Contest broadcasters, AVRO and TROS, announced in a press conference, that the band would represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen with the song "Calm After the Storm".^{[7][8][9][10][11]} Ilse De Lange and Waylon presented their song for Eurovision 2014 for the first time in the Dutch TV Show 'De Wereld Draait Door' on the 12th of March^[12] and released the final version the next day.^[13] On 9 May 2014, they released their debut studio album The Common Linnets and the following day reached second place in the Eurovision final behind Conchita Wurst of Austria. On 17 May 2014 the album entered the Dutch Albums Chart at number 1. On 14 May 2014 the album was at number 27 on The Official Chart Update in the UK.^[14] On 15 May 2014 the album entered the Irish Albums Chart at number 45. On 11 September 2014 they released "Give Me a Reason" as the second single from the album, the song peaked to number 92 on the Dutch Singles Chart. The Common Linnets won the 2014 Buma Cultuur Pop Award.^[15]

2015–present: II

The Common Linnets won the 2015 Echo Awards for Best International Newcomer Act.^[16] On 1 May 2015 they released the single "We Don't Make the Wind Blow", the song peaked to number 74 on the Dutch Singles Chart. On 25 September 2015, they released their second studio album II. The album peaked to number 1 on the Dutch Albums Chart. The album has also charted in Austria, Belgium and Germany.

Tours

• October 2014: club tour through The Netherlands, Germany, in London, Vienna and Zurich
• November 2015: club tour through The Netherlands, Germany, and in Vienna
• April/May 2016: theater tour through The Netherlands and in Antwerp
• June 2016: three-date tour of the United Kingdom - acoustic gigs in London, Manchester and Bristol
• November 2016: club tour through Germany, and in Vienna

Discography

Albums

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Other charted songs

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Common Linnets.

• The Common Linnets, official website

Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest
Participation 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Artists 1950s Jetty Paerl (1956) Corry Brokken (1956) Corry Brokken Corry Brokken Teddy Scholten 1960s Rudi Carrell Greetje Kauffeld De Spelbrekers Annie Palmen Anneke Grönloh Conny Vandenbos Milly Scott Thérèse Steinmetz Ronnie Tober Lenny Kuhr 1970s Hearts of Soul Saskia & Serge Sandra & Andres Ben Cramer Mouth & MacNeal Teach-In Sandra Reemer Heddy Lester Harmony Xandra 1980s Maggie MacNeal Linda Williams Bill van Dijk Bernadette Maribelle 1985 Frizzle Sizzle Marcha Gerard Joling Justine Pelmelay 1990s Maywood 1991 Humphrey Campbell Ruth Jacott Willeke Alberti 1995 Maxine & Franklin Brown Mrs. Einstein Edsilia Rombley Marlayne 2000s Linda Wagenmakers Michelle 2002 Esther Hart Re-Union Glennis Grace Treble Edsilia Rombley Hind De Toppers 2010s Sieneke 3JS Joan Franka Anouk The Common Linnets Trijntje Oosterhuis Douwe Bob O'G3NE
Songs 1950s "De vogels van Holland" (1956) "Voorgoed voorbij" (1956) "Net als toen" "Heel de wereld" "Een beetje" 1960s "Wat een geluk" "Wat een dag" "Katinka" "Een speeldoos" "Jij bent mijn leven" "'t Is genoeg" "Fernando en Filippo" "Ring-dinge-ding" "Morgen" "De troubadour" 1970s "Waterman" "Tijd" "Als het om de liefde gaat" "De oude muzikant" "I See A Star" "Ding-A-Dong" "The Party's Over" "De mallemolen" "'t Is OK" "Colorado" 1980s "Amsterdam" "Het is een wonder" "Jij en ik" "Sing Me a Song" "Ik hou van jou" 1985 "Alles heeft ritme" "Rechtop in de wind" "Shangri-La" "Blijf zoals je bent" 1990s "Ik wil alles met je delen" 1991 "Wijs me de weg" "Vrede" "Waar is de zon?" 1995 "De eerste keer" "Niemand heeft nog tijd" "Hemel en aarde" "One Good Reason" 2000s "No Goodbyes" "Out On My Own" 2002 "One More Night" "Without You" "My Impossible Dream" "Amambanda" "On Top of the World" "Your Heart Belongs to Me" "Shine" 2010s "Ik ben verliefd (Sha-la-lie)" "Never Alone" "You and Me" "Birds" "Calm After the Storm" "Walk Along" "Slow Down"
(Note: Entries scored out are when Netherlands did not compete)