Henk Bruysten with nickname Hank The Knife (30 May 1946 – 28 December 2024) was a Dutch musician and comic artist. Bruysten was member of Long Tall Ernie and the Shakers and founder, lead singer and bassist of Hank the Knife and the Jets.

Henk Bruysten
Born(1946-05-30)30 May 1946
Arnhem, Netherlands
Died28 December 2024(2024-12-28) (aged 78)
NationalityDutch
Occupation(s)musician and comic artist

Biography

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Bruysten was born in Arnhem on 30 May 1946 where he also grew up. He became bassist of the band Long Tall Ernie and the Shakers [nl] and he nicknamed himself Hank The Knife. With the band he record two albums and had three singles in the Dutch Top 40. After two years, he left the group due to business and artistic arguments and founded Hank the Knife and the Jets. Their fist single Guitar King (1975) reached the number two position in the Dutch Top 40, with the single Stan The Gunman they later reached the number one position.[1][2] Other singles they had in the Dutch Top 40 were Yesterday Star (1976), Crazy Cat (1976) and Crazy Guitar (1980).[1]

Bruysten was also a comic artist for over 40 years. He made comics for several newspapers and magazines. His most known cartoon character was Jan Jammerdan. Together with Tati Lentjes he drew over 2000 comic strips of Jan Jammerdan.[3]

Bruysten was married to Kitty and they had a daughter Kim. One of his best friends was bassist and singer Pierre Beek [nl] (1945-2009). His wife died in 2009.[1] He died on 28 December 2024, at the age of 78.[4][2][5]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "1946 - 2024 Top 5: Hank The Knife". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). 29 December 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Hank the Knife (78) overleden: 'Aardige gozer met een eigen wil'". Omroep Gelderland (in Dutch). 29 December 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  3. "Muzikant en striptekenaar Henk Bruysten overleden". Arnhemse Koerier (in Dutch). 3 January 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  4. "Rock-'n-rollicoon Henk Bruysten (78), oprichter en frontman Hank The Knife & The Jets, overleden". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 30 December 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  5. "De veren die de Arnhemse Henk Bruysten in zijn achterste gestoken krijgt, kan hij er nu niet meer uittrekken". De Gelderlander (in Dutch). 2 January 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2025.