Musician Peter Reber is still curious at 75
Published: Friday, Apr 19th 2024, 09:40
Updated At: Monday, Apr 29th 2024, 01:59
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Peter Reber turns 75 on April 28. The Bernese is one of the most successful Swiss musicians of all time. He goes on tour again in late fall.
This 75th birthday is not special for him, as Peter Reber says in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. After all, you have a birthday every year. "Age is a state of mind. I'm still curious, and as long as I am, I don't feel old."
Reber is a grandfather of two and lives in the heart of Bern. He describes himself as a family man. He runs his own music publishing company and works on his projects: From October to December, he will be on tour with his daughter Nina, albeit a little shorter than before - they will be playing eight concerts: "Standing on stage every day - I don't do that anymore. I have to stretch my legs in between," he says.
"I'm not really a stage performer," says Reber. "I like singing my songs. If I wasn't doing it professionally, I'd do it for myself. Or for my wife or my friends."
But Peter Reber has found a wide audience for his music: with the trio "Peter, Sue & Marc" and later as a solo artist, he has sold over two million records in Switzerland and, by his own account, has played over 2,000 concerts. This makes him one of the most successful artists in the country.
In 2016, Reber received the Swiss Music Award for his life's work and in 2017 the Honorary Prix Walo.
Surfing the Abba wave
Music has accompanied Reber throughout his life. Growing up in Bern-Bümpliz, he came into contact with it at an early age. He took piano lessons at the Bern Conservatory and soon picked up the guitar. At Atlantic College in Wales, he was involved in the band and orchestra. Returning to Switzerland in 1968 after completing his A-levels, he founded Peter, Sue & Marc together with Sue Schell and Marc Dietrich. The trio quickly enjoyed their first successes, and Switzerland also surfed the Abba wave with its own band.
In 1971, the trio represented Switzerland for the first time at the Concours Eurovision de la Chanson, today's Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). In 1976, Peter, Sue & Marc achieved fourth place at the ESC with "Djambo Djambo". They achieved the same position in 1981 with "Io senza te".
Peter Reber took part in the ESC a total of six times: four times with Peter, Sue & Marc, twice as a composer, including with "Swiss Lady" for Pepe Lienhard. After the last participation in 1981, the trio disbanded and Reber and his wife fulfilled a long-awaited and well-prepared dream: the couple bought a boat and sailed across the Atlantic. Reber had once made his first attempts at sailing on Lake Murten.
ESC still fascinates him
The sailing ship was their home for seven years and took Reber all the way to Alaska, after which the family of four settled in the Bahamas. In 1995, the Rebers returned to Switzerland. In the meantime, Reber, now a solo artist, continued to make music successfully. Many of his albums won multiple awards in Switzerland, and songs such as "Ds Hippigschpängschtli" achieved cult status.
Reber then pursued further solo projects and worked successfully as a composer and lyricist for other musicians; the list of his collaborations is long. This work also kept him young, he says: "Everything is digital in my recording studio, so it was easy for me to keep up."
He still follows the ESC, which will take place in 2024 from May 7 to 11, although not quite as closely: "The competition has changed a lot, the show has become more important. The focus used to be more on the music," he says. "But taking part is still a great honor for the artists." He discovers songs that he likes every year: "The ESC has retained its fascination."
©Keystone/SDA
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