Marie Dieke - Ria Solar

Marie Dieke was born as Maria Riemvis in the Netherlands in 1936.
Her biggest claim to fame in the Netherlands was 'In de bus van Bussum naar Naarden' she recorded with the Skymasters in 1956 (as Maria Dieke).
She had already followed her husband to Sweden by that time and the story goes that she behaved like a true diva when she was back in the Netherlands for the recording.
Other well known Dutch recordings are Chocolade, Hernando's Separee and Zambesi.

Marie Dieke has recorded three Eurovision covers in Swedish, all from 1959:
Augustin - The Swedish entry, by Brita Borg at the contest.
- on 7" single Columbia 45-DS 2192
Om våren ('n Beetje) - The Dutch winner sung in a Swedish / Dutch mix, originally by Teddy Scholten
Åh, ifall jag vore du ändå! (Uh-jeg ville ønske jeg var dig) - The Danish entry sung in Swedish, originally by Birthe Wilke.
- both on 7" single Columbia : 45-DS 2193

Schlagerjournalen
Above songs were recently issued on a great CD Schlagerjournalen 1. There's also no 2 and 3 and all cds include great Swedish 50's and 60's songs, several with a Eurovision or Melodifestivalen connection.
For example: Schlagerjournalen 3 features the first time release of Swedens 1968 entry in English by the original artist Claes-Göran Hederström.
Other songs on the 3 cds are Gerd Person's cover of Tom Pillibi, Britt Dambergs 1960 Melodifestivalen songs Alexander and Nancy Nancy plus several cover versions of early Melodifestivalen songs. (Which wasn't called Melodifestivalen yet, I know)
The cds are highly recommended for the songs but also for the fab sound quality.
Update 2013: Six years on, You'll have to search a little bit harder if you want the CDs, as they seem to be discontinued at the regular CD stores, but the digital versions are still available through all the Tunes and what have you.


UPDATED 16-09-07 (Thanks Thomas!)
For the German market Marie Dieke used the pseudonym Ria Solar. (See top picture)
Her German recordings were re-released by BearFamily records on the CD 'In der Mitte von Samoa'.
On this CD you can find one Eurovision cover and a coverversion of a UK preselection song.

Schön ist die Liebe (Sing little birdie) 
- Ria Solar and Bert Varell
- The UK 1959 entry (by Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson) sung in German, released a b-side to O-O-O-O Peter (Telefunken U 55 169)

Liebe Küsse und Sehnsucht (originally: Love, kisses and heartaches)
- From the 1960 UK preselection semi, sang by Marion Keene. It was a UK #44 hit for Maureen Evans (Oriole CB1540). Ria Solar released this song as a b-side to Er Heißt Maurice (Ariola AR 35 064) in 1961.

ANOTHER UPDATE 21-09-07 (Thanks Erik!)
Another coverversion by Maria Dieke to be added to the collection is of a popular Danish pre-selection song. Skol Cha Cha Cha is a version of the 1959 song Latinersangen (Peblinge cha cha cha) originally by Birthe Wilke and Preben Uglebjerg. It ended 3rd in the Danish selection. Marie Dieke recorded it in Swedish with Charlie Norman (EP Columbia SEGS 62). The track is also on the CD Schlagerjournalen 1 (see above)