Eelco Gelling (born 12 June 1946) is a Dutch

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

guitarist. Gelling played with

Cuby + Blizzards Cuby + Blizzards, also known as Cuby & the Blizzards, were a Dutch blues group, founded in 1964 by vocalist Harry Muskee and guitarist Eelco Gelling.Larkin C ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997) p 137 During the 1960s, t ...

(which he co-founded together with

Harry Muskee Harry "Cuby" Muskee (10 June 1941 – 26 September 2011) was the singer of the blues band Cuby + Blizzards, which he co-founded with Eelco Gelling. Muskee was born in Assen, and died in Rolde aged 70. Biography Muskee was born in the Wilhelmin ...

) until 1976.

Cuby + Blizzards (1966–1974)

Cuby + Blizzards (C+B) was founded by Eelco Gelling and

in 1964. Their first single was released in 1965 followed by a string of albums starting in 1966. During his time with Cuby + Blizzards the band became famous in Holland, Germany and the UK. They played, recorded and toured with

Eddie Boyd Edward Riley Boyd (November 25, 1914 – July 13, 1994)Dahl, Bill. Eddie Boyd: Biography AllMusic. Retrieved October 13, 2016. was an American blues pianist, singer and songwriter, best known for his recordings in the early 1950s, including the ...

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

and

Alexis Korner Alexis Andrew Nicholas Koerner (19 April 1928 – 1 January 1984), known professionally as Alexis Korner, was a British blues musician and radio broadcaster, who has sometimes been referred to as "a founding father of British blues". A major in ...

. In 1966 they toured with

John Mayall John Mayall, OBE (born 29 November 1933) is an English blues singer, musician and songwriter, whose musical career spans over sixty years. In the 1960s, he was the founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band that has counted among it ...

and when Mayall came over to the Netherlands to stay for a couple of days, he asked Gelling to join the

Bluesbreakers John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are an English blues rock band led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall. While never producing a hit of their own, the band has been influential as an incubator for British rock and blues ...

. Gelling did not agree and stayed with Cuby + Blizzards. The 1969 album '' Appleknockers Flophouse'' is considered one of the greatest Dutch Blues albums. The guitar work rivals that of many great players like

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

, Peter Green and

Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, h ...

. The band recorded their last album in 1974, named ''Het Afscheidsconcert'' (The Farewell Concert).

and Eelco formed Red, White 'n Blue but after two singles and an album reunited with

Herman Brood Hermanus "Herman" Brood (; 5 November 1946 – 11 July 2001) was a Dutch musician, painter, actor and poet. As a musician he achieved artistic and commercial success in the 1970s and 1980s, and was called "the greatest and only Dutch rock 'n' r ...

in 1976 for a short period to record two more Cuby albums ''Kid Blue'' and ''Old times, Good times''. In the early 1990s C+B was re-formed this time without Gelling.

Golden Earring (1977-1979)

In 1977, he joined

Golden Earring Golden Earring (originally known as The Tornados) was a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as The Golden Earrings. They achieved worldwide fame with their international hit songs "Radar Love" in 1973, which went to number one on th ...

who he played with for several years. He first appeared as a fully fledged member on "Contraband" (released in the U.S. under the title "Mad Love"). Eelco's haunting slide work is highlighted on the tracks "Sueleen" and "Bombay". While out on tour the group recorded their first live album "Golden Earring Live". Eelco helps the group deliver many of their classics including an extended version of the group's smash hit "Radar Love". Gelling also plays on the group's "Grab it for a Second" album. During a tour in the United States he left the band; after discussions about musical style and after his favorite guitar (a

Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typi ...

) was stolen from a cab in New York, he quit Golden Earring and went back to the Netherlands.

80's and 90's

When Eelco returned to Holland,

asked him to join the Muskee Gang, during a recording session Eelco was fired and left for

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

to join the

Freelance band ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...

. He played in several bands and after a few years started his own, the Eelco Gelling Band.

2000's and onwards

In 2000 Eelco joined

local band, Xray for a show in Doornroosje in Nijmegen. A live recording with two original songs was released in early 2001. On 25 June 2010 the Eelco Gelling Band performed for the last time, since then the band continued as Kroppo's Blues Band, without Gelling. In 2010, C+B Classic, Window of my eyes was used in the movi
The American
featuring

George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...

. In 2012, Eelco appeared in the documentary 'Gitaar Jongens' (Guitar Guys) by

Henny Vrienten Henny Vrienten (27 July 1948 – 25 April 2022) was a Dutch musician best known as the singer and bassist of the popular 1980s ska pop band Doe Maar. He also composed television and film scores. Biography Early days Vrienten began his caree ...

. Eelco was interviewed at home and appeared on stage at the Royal Carre to play with

Jan Akkerman Jan Akkerman (born 24 December 1946) is a Dutch guitarist. He first found international commercial success with the band Focus (band), Focus, which he co-founded with Thijs van Leer. After leaving Focus, he continued as a solo musician, adding ja ...

. Eelco hadn't played for a couple of years and has since been working to get back in shape. In 2013 and 2014,

asked Eelco to join him for some shows in Zoetermeer and Groningen. On April 14, 2015, Eelco was inducted in th
Dutch Blues Hall of Fame
and presented with a trophy by former C+B manager

Johan Derksen Johannes Gerrit "Johan" Derksen (born 31 January 1949) is a Dutch sports journalist and former football player. He played professional football between 1966 and 1978 for six clubs: Go Ahead Eagles, Cambuur, Veendam, HFC Haarlem, SV Meppen and MVV ...

. He also received a 45-year-overdue Gold Record for Groeten uit Grolloo. Eelco played a surprise set with Ruben Hoeke and Raymond van Kuijen. On April 29, 2015, Eelco opened the exposition, "Eelco Gelling, Geweldenaar op de Gitaar" (Savage or Giant on Guitar) at th
C+B Museum in Grolloo

/ref>

Guitars and amps

Eelco's favorite guitar is his longtime companio
the famous sunburst 1960 Gibson Les Paul
Eelco has owned this guitar since the early Cuby days when he traded his

Gibson ES-330 The Gibson ES-330 (1959-1972) is a thinline hollow-body electric guitar model produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. It was first introduced in 1959 and the guitar had the same dimensions as the ES-335. History Sales of Gibson’s Electric S ...

for it. The guitar has been stolen, broken, abused and was recently restored to former glory. Eelco used a

Fender Concert The Fender Concert was a guitar amplifier made by Fender Musical Instruments. Its production can be split over 2 phases. The first of these running from 1960 and until approximately 1965, at which time a typical Fender Concert was priced at $315. ...

(4x10) or a Marshall 100 watt stack to amplify his guitar. In the 1980s, when Eelco played with Blues Connection, he usually resorted to playing on his

Acoustic Control Corporation Acoustic Control Corporation was a manufacturer of instrument amplifiers, founded by Steve Marks (with the help of his father) and based in Van Nuys, California. Its original location was a shack on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. H ...

Model 165 combo. After departing from Blues Connection in the early 1990s, Eelco started using both the Koch KC50 and the Koch Multitone amplifiers. Recently he has switched back to Marshalls and now uses a small Marshall Class 5 combo.

Discography

Singles with
Cuby and the Blizzards Cuby + Blizzards, also known as Cuby & the Blizzards, were a Dutch blues group, founded in 1964 by vocalist Harry Muskee and guitarist Eelco Gelling.Larkin C ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997) p 137 During the 1960s, ...

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Stumble And Fall/I'm So Restless '', , 1965 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' LSD Got A Million Dollars/Your Body Not Your Soul '', , 1966 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Back Home/Sweet Mary '', , 1966 , , 17-09-1966 , , 33 , , 4 , , Philips , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Richard Cory/You Don't Know '', , 1966 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Just For Fun/Things I Remember '', , 1967 , , 18-03-1967 , , 34 , , 4 , , Philips , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Another Day, Another Road/Feeling Like A Suitcase '', , 1967 , , 15-07-1967 , , 20 , , 7 , , Philips , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Distant Smile/Don't Know Which Way To Go '', , 1967 , , 16-12-1967 , , 20 , , 6 , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' The Sunshine Of Your Shadow/Crying Tears '', , 1967 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Another Land/Somebody Will Know Someday '', , 1967 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Window Of My Eyes/Checkin' Up On My Baby '', , 1968 , , 28-09-1968 , , 10 , , 10 , , Philips , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Nostalgic Toilet/116 a Queensway '', , 1968 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Appleknockers Flophouse/Because Of Illness '', , 1969 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Thursday Night/Wee Wee Baby '', , 1970 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Backstreet/Easy To Leave Hard To Forget '', , 1971 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Pawnbroker/Straight No Chaser '', , 1972 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Sometimes/Every Time '', , 1972 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Kid Blue/Perfect Song '', , 1976 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Going To The City/Maybe We Need '', , 1977 , , - , , - , , - , , -

Albums with Cuby and the Blizzards

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Desolation '', , 1966 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Praise The Blues '', , 1967 , , met

- , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Groeten Uit Grollo '', , 1967 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Trippin' Thru' A Midnight Blues '', , 1968 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Live! At Düsseldorf '', , 1968 , , met

- , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' On The Road '', , 1968 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Cuby's Blues '', , 1969 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Appleknockers Flophouse '', , 1969 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Too Blind To See '', , 1970 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' King Of The World '', , 1970 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Simple Man '', , 1971 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Sometimes '', , 1972 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Ballads '', , 1973 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Afscheidsconcert '', , 1974 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Kid Blue '', , 1976 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Old Times Good Times '', , 1977 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' The Forgotten Tapes '', , 1979 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Featuring Herman Brood Live '', , 1979 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Blues Traveller '', , 2000 , , 4-cd - , , - , , - , , -

Singles with The Tower

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' In Your Life/Slow Motion Mind '', , 1968 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Captain Decker/Steps into space '', , 1969 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', ,

Singles with Red White 'n Blue

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Master Of Planning/Pigeon Girl '', , 1975 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Happyville/ Country Life '', , 1976 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', ,

Albums with Red White 'n Blue

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Red White 'n Blue '', , 1975 , , - , , - , , - , , -

Singles with
Golden Earring Golden Earring (originally known as The Tornados) was a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as The Golden Earrings. They achieved worldwide fame with their international hit songs "Radar Love" in 1973, which went to number one on th ...

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Radar Love Live '', , 1977 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Movin' Down Life/Can't Talk Now '', , 1978 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', ,

Albums with Golden Earring

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Contraband '', , 1977 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Live '', , 1977 , , - , , - , , - , , - , - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Grab It For A Second '', , 1978 , , - , , - , , - , , -

Albums with
Freelance Band ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Rough 'n' Tough '', , 1980 , , - , , - , , - , , -

Albums with the Muskee Gang

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Rimshots In The Dark '', , 1986 , , - , , - , , - , , -

Albums with Blues Connection

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' Featuring Eelco Gelling '', , 1988 , , - , , - , , - , , -

Solo albums

, - align=center '', , , align=left, '' The Missing Link '', , 2000 , , dubbel cd , , - , , - , , -

Albums with Eelco Gelling Band

, - align=center , align=left, '' On The Road '', , 2005 , , - , , - , , - , , -

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gelling, Eelco Dutch guitarists Dutch male guitarists 1946 births Living people People from Zwartewaterland Golden Earring members