Peter Horton began his music career with what is perhaps the most Austrian of all ways: as a Viennese boy choir. This meant that the musician’s unmarried mother, who was born on September 19, 1941 in Feldsberg, Moravia, had one less eater at the table and Jr. was able to explore the world. The future musician, who is celebrating his 80th birthday today Sunday, did just that in his adult life.
The fact that he founded his first jazz band at the age of 16 was not very welcome in the facilities of the respected boys’ choir. After his first appearances at student clubs, however, he soon entered the top league of the Viennese jazz scene in the 1960s. “I had my first shows with Gerhard Bronner and Fatty George,” Horton recalled in an interview with APA. He originally played under the stage name Peter Horten, but later changed to Horton. The urban name of Jubliar is actually Peter Müller.
Nevertheless, the young musician, who has mastered seven instruments, was initially attracted to Stuttgart to study classical singing – although it did not last long. “I did not want to open my fathers’ drawers,” Horton recalls. “I do not think it is bad that young people are studying classical music today – but there are other areas. So he soon sang at the Berlin Theater des Westens and toured as a guitarist and entertainer in the USA, Japan and Brazil.
During this time he took part in the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, which is informal about his career. There he came out moderately and could only get two points in Hofburg with “Why There Are One Hundred Thousand Stars”. This meant ex aequo with two other countries the penultimate part. However, this did not stop the musician from trying again – unsuccessfully – on the preliminary decision of the German ESC in 1972 and 1975.
Horton found fulfillment in other constellations, for example in the guitar duo Guitarissimo with Sigi Schwab, with whom he reappeared in 1978 and later with the addition of two colleagues as Guitarissimo XL. He was in the Symphonic Fingers duo with pianist and singer Slava Kantcheff – his temporary wife. And there are also appearances with greats like Placido Domingo, Peter Schreier or David Bowie in vita of the artist.
For the musician today, the character of Janus-like entertainment is at the center: “There are two forms: collection and diversion. Today there is a 98% diversion and a 2% collection. Collection is what leads us in. I succeed in concerts that people go out floating “.
Music alone was never enough for Horton, which is why he acted as a presenter on German television with programs such as “Cafe in Takt” (ARD) or “Hortons Kleine Nachtmusik” (ZDF). In addition, numerous books of texts and poems have been added to the now twelve albums. Recently, for example, “When the soul grows wings” appeared.
(SERVICE – www.peter-horton.de)
“Total travelaholic. Subtly charming zombie geek. Friend of animals everywhere. Music buff. Explorer. Tv junkie.”
