Vicki du Preez
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English Biography
Vicki du Preez started singing at a very young age. She grew up in a house where music was on the forefront. At school she always took part in Eisteddfods and school musicals.
Her dream was to be a singer or actress.
Only later in her life, after she had two children did she start singing. Vicki’s first ‘resident gig’ was at the Chelsea Hotel in Hillbrow. This was in the 70’s when Hillbrow was a very safe place! She then started singing with a very well-known musician Dougie Finch who taught her all the tricks of the trade. They played at very up market venues, like Top of the Carlton, The Ballroom at the Carlton and many Jewish functions. At one of these functions she met up with Bez Martin, a well-know saxophone player and also one of the musical directors at the S.A.B.C. He invited her to come for an audition – the audition was successful and she recorded her first Transcription Album in Afrikaans. The album was very well received and shortly after this she was offered a recording contract at EMI. She recorded her first 7-single which was very successful.
She then moved with her producer Ernest Schroeder to Joh’burg Records (who also recorded Rabbit). Her most successful song was an Afrikaans song Totsiens Auf Wiedersehen which was a huge hit! This was during the time when our boys went to the army and the border – therefore it was so well received. This song was one of the first Afrikaans songs to appear on the then Springbok Hit Parade. It reached the nr 8 position and was on the hit parade for 10 weeks! Quite and achievement for Afrikaans!
Vicki was also privileged to be one of the first artists to appear on Television. She was seen on shows like Afrikaanse Treffers, Skemertyd, Kraaines Spies en Plessis and many more!
She had her own band for a few years and did shows all over the country for corporate functions, concerts, barmitvah’s, etc. They then decided to work only in Johannesburg at clubs and restaurants. Amongst them was the Robin Inn where they played for more than two years!
She then decided to stop singing full time and concentrate more on her children. However, she never stopped singing. She is still very active in the industry. She has a wide repertoire which includes: rock’n roll, country, Afrikaans and dance music. Vicki can work with a full band, a two-piece or with back tracks. She has her own sound system.
Vicki is also available for singing and doing music at 50th & 60th birthday parties – or the older couples who decide to get married in their twilight years! She has a large repertoire of over 600 songs!
