12 Facts About Wout Steenhuis

Wout Steenhuis was a Dutch multi-instrumentalist.

Wout Steenhuis helped to found the famous Dutch Swing College Band in 1943, played his guitar at secret parties, and moved into a flat with Peter Schilperoort, the band's leader, to start on the road to becoming one of the country's top jazz musicians.

Wout Steenhuis had originally planned to pursue a science degree, but, in 1940, the Germans forbade him going to university because his father was in England.

Wout Steenhuis became active in the Dutch Resistance and was captured by the Germans in December 1944 and sent to a concentration camp at Amersfoort.

Wout Steenhuis was among a lorry load of prisoners condemned to death when he escaped by leaping over the side, running across a minefield, and hiding in a wood.

Wout Steenhuis was unconscious for 4 days and awoke in a British military hospital to find that his arm had been set in such a way that he could never again play the guitar.

Wout Steenhuis took over this post from his father but remained active as a guitarist.

Wout Steenhuis' music was relegated to the position of a hobby until, encouraged by his wife, he sent some of his recordings to the BBC where they caught the interest of a radio producer, which led to him making his debut broadcast in 'Guitar Club'.

On earlier albums Wout Steenhuis was backed by The Kontikis - a name given to his own backing of multi-tracked instruments.

Wout Steenhuis co-wrote Stop, a 1966 single released by Giorgio Moroder.

Wout Steenhuis continued to perform up until his death from cancer in 1985.

Wout Steenhuis was an active member of the community in the Isle of Thanet and was the founder of the Margate branch of the Round Table Club setting up links with a similar club in Vlaardingen near Rotterdam in Holland.