History of Tony Holiday (musician) in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 27, 2026

Tony Holiday was a German pop and Schlager singer and songwriter. He was known for his contributions to German popular music.

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Full Timeline

February 1951: Tony Holiday Born

In February 1951, Rolf Peter Knigge, later known as Tony Holiday, was born in Hamburg, Germany.

1974: Record Contract and Name Change

In 1974, Knigge received a record contract with Hans Bertram, who renamed him "Tony Holiday".

1975: First Appearance on ZDF-Hitparade

In 1975, Tony Holiday first performed on the German music television program ZDF-Hitparade. He performed on the program 11 times between 1975 and 1984.

1976: Original Song Release

In 1976, Raffaella Carrà released the original Italian single "A far l'amore comincia tu", which would later be adapted by Tony Holiday in 1977.

1977: "Tanze Samba mit Mir" Success

In 1977, Tony Holiday had a breakthrough hit with the German version of Raffaella Carrà's song, "Tanze Samba mit Mir," which became a hit in Germany and Austria.

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1979: Eurovision Song Contest Attempt

In 1979, Tony Holiday participated in the German finals for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Zuviel Tequila, zuviel schöne Mädchen," finishing in ninth place.

1980: Second European Hit

In 1980, Tony Holiday had a second European hit with "Nie mehr allein sein," which reached number 15 on the German music charts. The song was a reworking of "Sun of Jamaica" by the Goombay Dance Band.

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1984: Last Appearance on ZDF-Hitparade

In 1984, Tony Holiday made his last of 11 appearances on the German music television program ZDF-Hitparade between 1975 and 1984.

February 1990: Tony Holiday's Death

In February 1990, Tony Holiday died of an AIDS-related illness in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the age of 38.

1990: Death Due to AIDS-Related Illness

In 1990, Tony Holiday died from an AIDS-related illness in Lausanne, just ten days before his 39th birthday.

2000: "Tanze Samba mit Mir" Featured in Film

In 2000, Tony Holiday's song "Tanze Samba mit Mir" was featured in the François Ozon film "Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brûlantes" (Water Drops on Burning Rocks).

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