German musician Reinhard Friedrich Michael Mey was born on December 21, 1942, in Berlin and has been one of the most popular figures in the German singer-songwriter scene since the late 1960s. He also performs under the pseudonyms Frédérik Mey (in France), Alfons Yondraschek, and Rainer May. He learned to play the piano, guitar, and trumpet as a child, and he gained early experience on stage and in various bands. Reinhard Mey’s first chanson, “Ich wollte wie Orpheus singen”, was released in 1964. In the years that followed, he toured Germany with Hannes Wader, performing German and French songs with him in clubs and on theater stages. Reinhard Mey first gained popularity through occasional radio and television appearances. In 1971, he achieved his breakthrough in the German-speaking world with the double LP Reinhard Mey Live and the song “Der Mörder ist immer der Gärtner” featured on it. Between 1967 and 2020, Reinhard Mey released nearly 40 studio albums. On his album *Lieder von Freunden* (2015), he released songs by well-known artists such as Rio Reiser, Klaus Hoffmann, Ludwig Hirsch, and Boris Vian. Throughout his long career, Reinhard Mey also achieved great success in France and the Netherlands. In total, seven Frédérik Mey albums and two live LPs were released in those two countries, including versions in French. Reinhard Mey celebrated his greatest success in 1974 with the track “Über den Wolken”. He reached number 1 on the German album charts four times: Mein achtel Lorbeerblatt (1972), Bunter Hund (2007), Dann Mach’s Gut (2013, also No. 1 in Austria), and Nach Haus (2024). The singer-songwriter earned several gold records, receiving his first for Ich bin aus jenem Holze (1971). His 41st studio album, Nach Haus, was released in May 2024, reached No. 1 in Germany, and peaked at No. 3 in Switzerland. In September 2026, he achieved a No. 1 hit in Germany and Austria with the album Schatzhauser.
