Bles Bridges
Bles Bridges, born Lawrence John Gabriel Bridges, was a South African singer. He became known as Bles Bridges, as his Irish grandfather called him "Bles", due to his very thin hair from an early age.
Married to Leonie Bridges from 1969 until his death on 24 March 2000, he also had a long-term relationship with Marietjie van Heerden in the 90s.
In 1972, Bles and his then co-artist Mini van Heerden made his debut with the album, Adios, My Skat. Bles debuted under the nickname Morné. He released his first solo album, Onbekende Weermagman in 1982. His professional career took off in 1984 with the release of his second album, Bles, which went gold in under a month and included Maggie, one of his better-known songs. The album had sold twice that by the time his third album was released. At the time of his death, Bles had sold more than 2.6 million albums. Up to 2016, he sold over 3 million records, making him the biggest-selling male singer in the Afrikaans Music industry.
Soon, Bles Bridges began alternating between Afrikaans and English language albums, to great acclaim. He also began working with Eurovision South Africa. In 2000, he began recording an album with his friends in the music industry. The first song - a duet with Patricia Lewis - was "The First Kiss Goodnight" by Dennis East; it was recorded on 21 March 2000. His biggest hit was "Ruiter van die Windjie", which was released in 1986.
In the 1980s, he held a concert in support of the Volkshulpskema of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging, a far-right paramilitary organisation, which raised R10,000.
He had cancer during the 1980s and gave generously to charity for cancer research after his recovery. His wife Leonie was his sound engineer and the composer and/or songwriter of most of his songs, including most of his biggest hits like "Maggie" and "I am the Eagle, You're the Wind".
It was his custom to hand out roses to some of the female audience members in the front row at his concerts.. This was the basis for a Leon Schuster skit in the hit movie, Oh Schucks... It's Schuster!. In the skit, Shuster, dressed as an Afrikaner lady and became irate when Bridges refused to give her a rose. Chaos ensued.
His career highlight was when he performed to a sold-out 8,000-seater Super Bowl at Sun City, five times on one weekend, becoming the first and only artist to do so as feature artist on 14 and 15 November 1987. He managed to draw a bigger crowd than Frank Sinatra did when he opened the Super Bowl in 1982.
Bles died in a motorcar accident on 24 March 2000, leaving behind his wife, Leonie, and children Sunette and Victor. More than 20,000 mourners turned up for his funeral.
On 26 January 2020, Bles was inaugurated as a living legend in the South African Legends Museum. He was one of 20 legends of whom a bust was also made.
Albums & Cd's Released.
- Morne en Marie Sing - 1972Onbekende Weermagman - 1982Bles - 1984Uit die Boonste Rakke - 1985Vir een en Almal - 1986I Am the Eagle, You're the Wind - 1986Reik na die Sterre - 1987Fight For Love - 1987Laat My Lewe, Laat My Liefhê - 1988Ons Eerste Ontmoeting - 1989Nog 'n Nuwe Dag - 1989The Devil and the Song - 1989Let Me Love You - 1990Back on My Feet Again - 1991Soos Nooit Tevore - 1992Am I That Easy To Forget - 1993One Dance With You - 1994Grootste Treffers - 1994Sproetjies Kom Terug - 1995Love and Roses - My Greatest Hits - 1996Die Hart Van My Moeder - 1997Sweef Soos 'n Arend - 1998Classics My Way - 1998Country My Way - 1999Goue & Platinum Treffers Deur Die Jare Heen - 2000Môre Bring 'n Nuwe Dag - 2000Goue & Platinum Treffers Deur Die Jare Heen - 2000 Net Vir Jou - 2010Die Bekroonde Kunstenaas - 2011
Released videos
In Search of Love- ''Op Toer Met Bles''