Mary Roos: All information about the pop singer – her career and greatest hits
Created: 01/31/2022, 16:18
Pop singer Mary Roos © Hendrik Schmidt / dpa
Mary Roos completed numerous professional stations.
Among other things, she represented Germany twice in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), which was then called the Grand Prix d'Eurovision.
All information about her CV and her career.
Hamburg – Mary Roos was born under her maiden name Rosemarie Schwab on January 9, 1949 in Bingen am Rhein.
Even as a child, she took her talent for a walk.
She repeatedly performed in her parents' hotel to entertain the guests with singing.
Her sphere of activity soon expanded – and her fan base, because as a nine-year-old Rosemarie was allowed to entertain an audience of 800.
The planned summer party of a carnival club served as the background.
It was the start of her public career.
Mary Roos has meanwhile traded the south of the republic for the north.
She has lived in Hamburg for many years.
Pop singer Mary Roos: Her CV
The CV of pop singer Mary Roos made little Rosemarie regularly pick up the microphone. At one of her popular appearances, a record producer was present who signed her. She released her first single in 1958: "Yes, the fat ones are so comfortable." From 1961 on Rosemarie recorded further records, most of which were cover versions of well-known folk songs. The youngster was initially denied an identity of her own as an artist, which changed as she got older. But first, Rosemarie had to continue plowing on childish terrain, as her first long-playing record underscored.
“The Small Town Wants to Go to Sleep” (1968) already revealed its target group in the title.
During the recording, Rosemarie Schwab was assisted by the Mozart Choir from Dresden.
This was followed by interpretations of well-known children's songs and sung fairy tale themes, which initially prevented the singer from growing up musically - until 1970, when she made her breakthrough.
This time under the stage name Mary Roos, which should appeal to an international audience.
Significantly, her first chart success also had an English title.
Incidentally, the recordings from the artist's early years can now be purchased.
They are grouped together under the (ironic) title "sins of youth".
Pop singer Mary Roos: The career
Pop singer Mary Roos' real career began with the release of the single "Arizona Man" (1970). The song made her famous instantly, partly because it was the first one that was proven to use a synthesizer. Michael Holm and Giorgio Moroder were responsible for the production, which was followed by several long-playing records and singles. At the time, Mary Roos worked with star producers such as Dieter Bohlen and Michael Kunze. Her two appearances at the Grand Prix and ESC also fell during this period. The first came in 1972 when Mary Roos represented her home country - quite successfully, because "Only Love Lets Us Live" took a respectable third place. Mary Roos had almost driven to the Grand Prix two years earlier,but her sounding application "Because of every kiss" only came second in the preliminary round.
Close linkage with the ESC
Twelve years elapsed between the first and second Grand Prix appearance, but it took until 1984 before Mary Roos was allowed to represent her colors again.
"Aufrecht geh'n" was a national hit, but only managed 13th place in the international final round. Mary Roos was then repeatedly appointed to the ESC's expert council.
First in 2010, when Hape Kerkeling brought her onto the jury of the German delegation.
In 2013, Mary Roos was part of the jury that selected the German entry for the ESC.
In 2018 she even greeted her as President and Chairwoman of the Jury.
As a guest, Roos accompanied the comparable “Festival International” in Rio, Brazil.
She represented the European continent at the UNICEF Gala in Osaka, Japan.
Five years baby break
Her active participation in the Grand Prix also made Mary Roos known outside of Germany.
The native of Hamburg, for example, was drawn to France again and again, where she performed several times in the Olympia entertainment temple in Paris.
Collaborations with French singers fueled the Francophile success, which resulted in a corresponding album in 2009.
"Amour Toujour" combines recordings from the time window between 1972 and 1975. After the release of the album "Leben fühl'n" in 1987, Mary Roos interrupted her career for five years.
Reason: She was pregnant and gave birth to a son.
In 1992, Roos returned to the stage and recording studio.
Various albums were sung and then presented live.
Hookers, coke and fresh strawberries
Expanding her musical range, Mary Roos released a long player in 2013 that had nothing to do with pop music.
Rather, the blonde entertainer presented Portuguese and French chansons.
The club tour that followed the release took place in front of a packed audience.
Which proves once again that Mary Roos is not a pure hit interpreter, but cuts a fine figure on many terrains.
Among other things in the cabaret area, which Roos discovered for himself in 2015.
Together with the cabaret artist Wolfgang Stepper, she took a satirical look at pop music.
With resounding success.
"Hookers, coke and fresh strawberries" provoked sold-out halls for four years.
The show is set to resume in 2022, which would be unusual given that
Pop singer Mary Roos: Her greatest hits
If you only look at the chart positions, it is clear that pop singer Mary Roos' biggest hit was more than five decades ago.
"Arizona Man" reached number 9 in the German hit parade. Other hits from Mary Roos' oeuvre are:
Only Love Lets Us Live (1972)
I'll go tonight (1979)
Lady (1982)
The Grand Prix success "Only love lets and live" also exists in French and English.
The song "I'll go tonight" is a German interpretation of the number "We don't talk anymore" (1979) sung by Cliff Richard.
"Lady" is a cooperation with the German-American David Hanselmann.
To date, Mary Roos has not been able to place any of her singles in the top 100 of the Swiss or Austrian charts.
Pop singer Mary Roos: discography
The discography of pop singer Mary Roos can be described as extensive.
It includes 25 albums and 130 singles.
None of their albums made it into the top 100 of the sales charts - with the exception of their last album "Abenteuer Unvernunft".
The long player, released in May 2018, reached number 46 in the German hit parade.
It was a good year for Mary Roos, because the albums "Das Beste" and "Mary (Meine Songs)", also released in 2018, also made it into the top 100.
It remains to be seen whether further material will follow, as the now 73-year-old has (in)officially declared her career over.
Pop singer Mary Roos: Her family
The family size of pop singer Mary Roos is manageable. Roos lives alone in the Wandsbek district of Hamburg. Since all men were constantly trying to "change" her, Mary Roos chose to be single. Roos has been married twice. Both marriages failed. First husband was French-born Pierre Scardin. The couple lived together from 1969 to 1977, during which time Scardin took over management from Mary Roos. The second husband was the late Werner Böhm. Böhm succeeded as a singer and musician and had a winning streak at the beginning of the 1980s. Under the pseudonym Gottlieb Wendehals, Böhm had two major hits: "Herbert" and "Polonaise Blankenese". The latter title was number 1 in the charts for nine weeks in 1981.The connection with Werner Böhm resulted in a son together.