Entertainer legend
Vienna’s most casual cultural export
As a railroad boy into the wide world: singer and pianist Louie Austen, 77, celebrates his 50th stage anniversary next Saturday at the Vienna Metropol.
Eight-year-old Alois Luef, who was born in Vienna on September 19, 1946, once wished for an accordion rather than a toy train. And although his musical talent was already obvious and audible at the time, his parents insisted on a classical education in the form of an engineering degree - which he dropped out of, however, in order to devote himself to studying singing and acting at the conservatory.
After successfully completing his studies and passing his "stage exam", he was drawn out into the world in the 1970s: South Africa, Australia, New York, with his clubs, where he performed with the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, among others - and finally Las Vegas, where he followed in the footsteps of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
In 1989, he returned to Vienna, where he became a swinging entertainer, first at the Vienna Hilton Hotel and later at the Marriott. And this despite the fact that he never wanted to sing in front of an audience, as he wittily reveals in an interview with "Krone". His trademark from then on: white suit and white hat, paired with stunning nonchalance.
His big breakthrough, which made him internationally famous, finally came in 1999 with the start of his collaboration with electronic producers Patrick Pulsinger and Mario Neugebauer. His debut album "Consequences" was a huge success, which also surprised Louie Austen and catapulted his career into new spheres.
How did he manage it all? "With luck," laughs Austen, who is now celebrating 50 years on stage at the Metropol in Vienna. What does that mean to him? "My gratitude for all the people who have helped me over the years to live this wonderful, great life," says Austen. The fact that he played "Höllenangst" at the Burgtheater for three years "as a little railroad boy" and at the Jazzfest in the Vienna State Opera still makes him "shiver with awe and gratitude that this happened to him in his life!"
What keeps him so fresh and youthful? "Quite simply," he beams, "not stopping working!", and immediately talks about dozens of projects he wants to tackle soon. He also has a big dream: "To perform Karl Hodina songs with Christian Kolonovits and a large orchestra at the Vienna Festival!"
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