Singer: Eydie Ligtenberg
Eydie (1968) has already achieved national and international acclaim as a singer, knowing how to play to her audience; her soft ‘g’, revealing her Maastricht roots, and her sharp wit make her a wonderful stage presence with amazing sound.
As a little girl, Eydie already was the entertainer at family parties. She took her first serious steps in music in the early 1990s. In addition to her solo career, she sang for many years with the all-round trio 3 CeeBee, the party band 2 Simple, as one half of the duo The Soul Angels and as the driving force of Eydie & Company. Currently, she is the leading lady of Betty’s Blue Hearts and acoustic trio One Click Nurse.
Eydie draws her inspiration from many greats; besides Beth Hart, her musical influences include Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Wright, Erikah Badu, but also the lesser-known Kaz Hawkins.
Eydie strongly believes in her life mottos, “Go with the flow” and “Let love rule”. Dreams have no expiration date for her!
Guitar: Joris van Leeuwen
Joris van Leeuwen has captivated audiences with his electrifying and soulful performances for over twenty years. Joris has become a seasoned guitarist known for his remarkable talent and deep passion for music. His journey into the world of blues began in his early teens; over the years, he has played in several bands and built an extensive repertoire includes both covers and original compositions.
A true aficionado of guitars, Joris’ collection is as impressive as his skill. He plays a John Mayer Stratocaster, a PRS Custum ’22 (both tribute to two of his greatest influences, Mayer and Santana) but also owns an SRV replica Stratocaster and a custom-built guitar affectionately named “The Lion King”.
Joris’ influences read like a who’s who of blues and rock legends: John Mayer, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa, and Eric Clapton. Each of these iconic musicians has left an indelible mark on Joris’s style, helping him to craft a sound that is both unique and deeply rooted in the traditions of the blues.
Bass: John Fijan
John Fijan, born on May 8, 1969 in Capelle aan den IJssel, has embarked on an impressive musical journey. From his beginnings as a drummer in a marching band to his solo performances in major musical productions, John has always had a passion for music.
At the age of nineteen, John began to develop his singing talent and has sung as a baritone in various choirs and musical associations. His love for music eventually led him to playing the guitar and recording his own music.
In 2015, John recorded an album of covers with the band Lootband, and in 2019 he released an album of original songs with the band Chitlin Crew. In addition to his musical career, John also has a passion for coaching individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Since 2023, John has taken on a new challenge as the bassist of the band Betty’s Blue Hearts. His versatile musical talent and dedication to helping others make John Fijan a unique and inspiring artist.
Keys: Jan Martin Monster
Jan Martin Monster, better known by his stage name Jon AllKeys, is a keyboardist whose musical journey began at the age of six, when he discovered his passion for playing the piano. Although reading music proved to be an insurmountable obstacle, he was not discouraged; instead, he taught himself to play music and identify chord progressions by ear, forming the basis for his unique playing style.
Jon AllKeys is a true chameleon in the music world, tried and tested in various bands and music genres. His repertoire ranges from classic hard rock bands such as Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Rainbow and Whitesnake, to the more blues-oriented material of artists such as Beth Hart. This broad musical background has refined his playing and made him a versatile musician.
One of Jon’s greatest passions is playing the classic Hammond organ. With his skilled hands and creative mind he performs both beautiful accompaniment parts and wild, organistic solos. His playing manages to leave audiences enthralled time and time again, and his performances are a spectacle for the senses.
Drums: Bart de Weert
For drummer Bart de Weert, making music, in addition to a busy family life and a job that brings him to all over the world, has always been a great passion. After basic music training and piano lessons, the instrument of choice soon became the drums. He bought his very first real drumkit, a TAMA Granstar, in high school, playing in a school band called Feedback.
Bart has continued playing music ever since, but switched to saxophone during his college years, performing mainly soul and funk style music. When he accidentally walked in on a jam session in an overseas bar, however, he still felt comfortable stepping in to play the drums.
So when asked to form a band around singer Eydie Ligtenberg, it was an easy decision for Bart to focus on his drumming again, providing a steady foundation behind Beth Hart’s varied repertoire, ranging from jazz-like ballads to slow blues or more up-tempo soul or rock songs, still using that very first drum kit, which is now as vintage as he is himself.
Sax: Louis and Lars
Father Louis and son Lars together make up Betty’s Blue Hearts’ smashing horn section.
After a brief time playing the clarinet in his youth, Louis, a lifelong lover of the blues, began his musical journey in the early 2010’s, when he picked up the blues harp; it wasn’t long until his love for vintage instruments led him to pursue the tenor saxophone as well. Having played in a number of regional blues bands, including St. Louis Slim, Moonshine, and Chitlin Crew, he’s now ended up at Betty’s.
Meanwhile, Lars has been playing the saxophone since he was nine years old. He is inspired by saxophone greats like Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, Joshua Redman and Chad Lefkowitz-Brown. Over the years, he’s become skilled on the entire saxophone family, as well as clarinet and flute. He plays first tenor in the Eastend Sixteen big band, and greatly enjoys supporting Betty’s Blue Hearts on the bari sax.
From smooth to tight, swinging to growling, ‘Betty’s Blue Horns’ help deliver a memorable ode to the music of Beth Hart.
Trumpet: Matthijs
Matthijs is playing the trumpet since he was about 10 years old. First playing in a (youth) symphony orchestra, but during secondary school he stopped playing. While studying in Delft, he picked up the trumpet to play in a coverband playing lots of Dutch and English covers. After a few years break he started playing in another coverband (“De broer van Henk”) with his former colleague-students. In both of these bands he alternated singing with playing the trumpet. In between he sang and played in some occasional bands at his work, sports club and church. Since summer 2024 he joined Betty’s Blue Hearts, making the brass section even bigger