Colleagues and friends reacted on Wednesday to the death of George Kooymans. The Golden Earring guitarist died at the age of 77 as a result of ALS.
“He was the creative brain behind Golden Earring,” says radio DJ Gerard Ekdom on Radio Veronica. “That man has meant so much to Dutch pop. And not only to Dutch pop: he has of course also had a major influence on foreign artists.”
Ekdom calls Kooymans “the songwriter” behind the rock band. “He wrote almost all the songs. And he was a fantastic guitarist and a great singer. So he was actually three things in one.”
Dick Maas was also shocked by the news. “You could have a good laugh with him,” says the director. “The concert that Golden Earring gave in Leiden in 1984 was a fantastic live show. That show and the recording we made have lost none of their power.” In addition to the concert film, Maas made several video clips with Golden Earring.
The mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, is “deeply touched” by the death of the guitarist. “Kooymans was a musical hero and a Hague icon. As a guitarist, composer and singer of Golden Earring, he put The Hague on the map nationally and internationally as a rock city.” In 2021, The Hague appointed Kooymans and his bandmates as honorary citizens of the city.
“Thank you George for the beautiful music,” singer Danny Vera said. “The Earring is and was the biggest Dutch rock band and an example for many.”
Vera, along with DI-RECT, Maan, Guus Meeuwis and Davina Michelle, will be on One Last Night at the end of January 2026, a series of five farewell concerts by Golden Earring in Rotterdam Ahoy. It is still unclear whether the concerts will go ahead after the death of Kooymans, who initiated them. Artists will perform Golden Earring’s repertoire on One Last Night, together with the remaining band members Barry Hay, Cesar Zuiderwijk and Rinus Gerritsen.
Golden Earring has not yet responded to the death of the guitarist. The management of the Hague group said that the band members are not ready for that yet.