Jacoba Adriana Hollestelle (16 January 1937 – 7 April 2002), known professionally as Conny Vandenbos, was a popular Dutch singer. She had her first radio hit in 1966 and continued to make hit recordings throughout the 1970s. She represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 1965 with the song "'t Is genoeg" (Tis Enough).
Conny Vandenbos started her career in the AVRO children's choir and made her solo debut in February in the KRO radio programme Springplank, a showcase for young talent, in which she performed French chansons.
After her performance at the Belgian Knokkefestival in 1961, Conny signed a recording contract with Philips. She also performed in the first episode of the Rudi Carrell show. In 1962 she participated in the preliminary rounds of the Eurovision Song Contest, where she finished in third place with Zachtjes. In 1961 she appeared on Bruce Low 's VARA show. At the end of 1964 she got her own television show, "Call me Conny" for the Dutch public broadcaster NCRV.
In 1965 she represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "t Is Enough", reaching eleventh place. A year later she had her first hit "I am happy without you". Meanwhile, Conny's record company tried to make her more known abroad and they let her sing in English and German. However, real success at an international level was not forthcoming. The single "Where Are They Now" released in August 1968, reached 31st place in the Colorado Hit Parade, but that was it in the US. In 1971, Vanderbos moved to Hoevelaken, Gelderland.
In 1974 she switched from Phonogram to record company Basart Records International. A short time later, she released an album, A Woman of Our Time. During this period, most of her hits were Dutch translations of foreign songs such as "Een roosje, m'n roosje", which was a translation of "Daisy a Day" by Jud Strunk. She also released a German version of the song.
In 1976, she received an Edison Golden Harp for the album “Zo wil ik leven”. In the eighties she had a theatre program together with Ted de Braak and performed in André van Duin 's revue. She also had her own tour de chant and was frequently seen on television. She also played roles in musicals. In 1979 she was elected Woman of the Year in Belgium. In 1980, while back with Philips Records, Conny released an album of songs by Janis Ian titled Conny Vandenbos zingt Janis Ian. A duet with Janis Ian, "Don't Leave Tonight", reached number 17 in the Dutch charts in December 1980.
In 1989 she had a small success in the Netherlands with “Stapelgek op je” with Wim Rijken. In 1993 she received gold for her album 14 Greatest Hits Van Conny Vandenbos.
In the nineties she presented radio programs with Radio Noordzee (National) (Tea with Conny, every working day between 2 and 4 pm), Omroep West and Radio M Utrecht. In 1998 she was a presenter at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest. In 2000, she was honoured with a tile in the Rotterdam Walk Of Fame.
In 1959 Conny married Wim van den Bos. The couple had a daughter. In 1965 the marriage came to an end, but because she was now known by the name Conny van den Bos, she decided to keep that name. From now on, the name was written together as Conny Vandenbos. She now considered this a stage name, no longer her ex-husband's name. Her second marriage was to Ger Faber, bass player of the band Leedy Trio, with whom she had one son.
Vandenbos died in Amsterdam on April 7, 2002 at the age of 65, two weeks after she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She is buried at Rusthof Cemetery in Leusden. (Edited from Wikipedia)