The Blue Diamonds (duo)

{{Short description|Indonesian and Dutch rock and roll duo}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = The Blue Diamonds |image = The Blue Diamonds 914-2294.jpg |caption = Ruud and Riem de Wolff (The Blue Diamonds), August 1962. |image_size = 200px |origin = Maluku, Ambon Indonesia |background = group_or_band |genre = Rock and roll, Country |years_active = 1959–2000 |label = Decca, Philips | website = | past_members = Ruud de Wolff<br />Riem de Wolff }}

thumb|The Blue Diamonds in January 1964 '''The Blue Diamonds''' were an Indonesian and Dutch 1960s rock and roll duo, best known for their million-selling chart-topping single, "Ramona". Indo (Dutch-Indonesian) brothers '''Ruud de Wolff''' (12 May 1941 – 18 December 2000) and '''Riem de Wolff''' (15 April 1943 – 12 September 2017) founded the group shortly after immigrating to Driebergen-Rijsenburg in the Netherlands in 1949. They were born in Batavia (now Jakarta), Indonesia.<ref name="ad-3549">{{cite web|url=https://www.ad.nl/show/riem-de-wolff-blue-diamonds-overleden~a354cc9c/|title=Riem de Wolff (Blue Diamonds) overleden|website=Algemeen Dagblad|author=Dennis Jansen|date=12 September 2017}}</ref>

==Early career== Called the "Dutch – Indonesian Everly Brothers", the Blue Diamonds covered many Everly Brothers songs, but became famous in 1960 with their version of "Ramona", a song originally written for the 1928 film, ''Ramona''. The song was written for promotional appearances with Dolores del Río (star of the film) but not featured in the film itself. The Blue Diamonds up-tempo version of it (changing it from the original {{music|time|3|4}} rhythm to a {{music|time|4|4}} one) reached the American ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 72 in 1960. It sold over 250,000 copies in the Netherlands (the first record to ever do so) and over one million copies in Germany by 1961.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/121 121] | isbn= 0-214-20512-6 | url-access= registration | url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/121 }}</ref>

==Later career== Although their last hit was in 1971, they continued to perform together up until Ruud de Wolff died from bladder cancer at the end of the year 2000. Riem de Wolff continued to perform and release albums until his death in 2017. At the time of his death, Riem had just been diagnosed with lung and liver cancer and had been suffering from the effects of a recent stroke.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/dutch-indonesian-singer-riem-de-wolff-popular-here-in-the-1960s-dies-aged-74|title=Dutch-Indonesian singer Riem De Wolff, popular here in the 1960s, dies aged 74|date=12 September 2017|website=Straitstimes.com|accessdate=24 October 2017}}</ref>

A couple from Driebergen-Rijsenburg has taken the initiative to erect a statue to commemorate The Blue Diamonds. In mid-October 2025—65 years after Ramona became a global hit—the statue of the singing duo was unveiled at the Oranjevijver in their former hometown. The moment received national media attention.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|The Blue Diamonds}} * [http://www.bluediamonds.nl/gb_blue.html Fan site]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blue Diamonds}} Category:Doo-wop groups Category:Dutch musical duos Category:Dutch-based Indonesian musical duos Category:Dutch people of Indonesian descent Category:Indonesian musical duos Category:Indo people Category:Decca Records artists Category:Philips Records artists Category:Sibling musical duos