US EditionGolden Earring Co-Founder George Kooymans Dies at 77
NETHERLANDS, JUL 23 – Golden Earring plans farewell concerts in 2026 with proceeds supporting ALS research; Kooymans stopped playing after his 2020 diagnosis and died at 77, bandmates said.
- George Kooymans, co-founder and guitarist of Dutch rock band Golden Earring, died on July 23, 2025, from ALS complications.
- Kooymans was diagnosed with ALS in 2020, which led to his retirement and the band's breakup in 2021 after over 50 years together.
- Golden Earring, founded in 1961 in The Hague by Kooymans and bassist Rinus Gerritsen, gained international fame with hits like 'Radar Love' and 'Twilight Zone'.
- ‘Radar Love’ peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 in the UK and remains a classic, covered by U2 and R.E.M., according to the family statement.
- The surviving members plan a final show in January 2026 to honor Kooymans’s legacy, with proceeds donated to ALS research and additional musicians filling in.
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34 Articles
George Kooymans, Golden Earring co-founder and guitarist, dies at 77
George Kooymans, the guitarist and co-founder of the Dutch band Golden Earring who co-wrote the hard-rock classic “Radar Love,” has died. He was 77 years old. Kooymans’ family and the surviving members of Golden Earring announced his death Wednesday from complications with ALS. He was diagnosed with the progressive neurodegenerative disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, in 2020 and retired from the band shortly thereaf…
The death of Golden Earring star George Kooymans (77) is also causing grief internationally. Famous British metal band Iron Maiden, who have been fans for years, commemorated Kooymans on Thursday in front of millions of followers. In the Belgian town where Kooymans was an honorary citizen, all flags were flying at half-mast.
Associated Press News
Golden Earring co-founder George Kooymans dies at 77
George Kooymans, guitarist and co-founder of the Dutch band Golden Earring, has died at 77. His family and bandmates announced this week that he died from complications of ALS, which he was diagnosed with in 2020.
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