Gene Rockwell

Gene Rockwell
Birth name	Gert Smit
Born	(1944-12-27)December 27, 1944
Died	July 3, 1998(1998-07-03) (aged 53)
Occupation	Musician
Instrument	Singer
Years active	1950s – 1990s

Gene Rockwell (1944–1998) was a South African singer. His 1965 rendition of "Heart" went directly to the top of the LM Radio Top 20.

History

Gene was born Gert Smit in 1944 in the town of Krugersdorp in the then Transvaal province of South Africa. He died at the age of 53 years, on July 3, 1998, of cancer.

He won his first talent competition at the age of 15, in Durban's "Little Top". Still in his teens, Gene formed The Blue Angels, later to become The Falcons, in 1963, with whom he played guitar and sang his famous gritty-blues-style songs. The original line up of the Falcons were George Usher (lead guitar), Jannie Heyns (bass guitar), Clive Swegman (rhythm guitar), Frank Rickson (drums). They played many packed out shows, becoming a staple of the dance scene in South Africa, particularly Durban.

Discography

Date	Title (A-side/B-side)	Label
1965	"Ciao"	Continental Records (8) PD.7-8971.
1963	"Back Stage"	Continental Records (8) PD.7-8971.
1967	"Cold Cold Heart" / "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"	Continental PD-9279
1968	"Die Jare Gaan Verby"	Apple Records PD 9431
1969	"Rocking Horse" / "Happy Man"	Public!
1969	"I Like It Like It Was" / "Love Wonderful Love"	Public!
1971	"A Soldier's Prayer" / "Forty Days"	Brigadiers
1973	"Sunshine" / "Big Lonely City"	Plum Records
1976	"Shame On Me" / "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends"	Epidemic
1976	"Heart" - 2 versions	Continental Records

References

• Gene Rockwell - Heart