George Kooymans, guitarist and co-founder of Dutch rock band Golden Earring, has died at the age of 77. The musician’s family confirmed that he passed away due to complications from ALS, which he was diagnosed with in 2020. “We say goodbye to a great musician and composer whose work reached far beyond Golden Earring,” his family shared. “George was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, but above all, a friend.” Kooymans and his friend Rinus Gerritsen co-founded Golden Earring in the early Sixties while teenagers in The Hague, Netherlands, releasing their debut album, Just Ear-rings, in 1965. The band was best known for hits like “Radar Love,” which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973, and their 1982 Top 10 smash, “Twilight Zone,” and they went on to enjoy over five decades of success. Kooymans’ ALS diagnosis put an end to the band’s plans for a proper farewell tour in 2020, but the surviving members will perform one final show in January 2026, with proceeds supporting ALS research. (Rolling Stone)
