“There were a lot of things I didn’t even remember that well myself. Seems like he’s quite an interesting character, this Udo-Gerhard.” (Udo Lindenberg)
Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre’s book *Udo Fröhliche* was published in May 2026 to mark Udo Lindenberg’s 80th birthday. This intimate portrait of the exceptional artist Lindenberg, written by his self-proclaimed superfan and longtime close friend Stuckrad-Barre, became a literary sensation and a bestseller. The book, celebrated by audiences and critics alike, debuted at number 2 on the SPIEGEL bestseller list, where it remained for many weeks.
The 59 biographical short stories in *Udo Fröhliche* paint a vivid portrait of this folk singer—in the best sense of the word—who transformed the Federal Republic of Germany, its society, its language, and, through them, its way of thinking. At the same time, through the lens of Lindenberg, this book offers a perceptive and original take on what it means to be a fan, on 80 years of the Federal Republic, on art, and on life as an artist—covering everything from alcohol, the cello, and wanderlust to roller skates, language, hotels, hats, and cigars.
Starting this fall, Stuckrad-Barre will embark on a major tour with Udo Fröhliche. And anyone who has ever attended a Stuckrad-Barre reading knows, of course, that on these evenings a book isn’t merely read aloud—it’s celebrated. Stuckrad-Barre interprets his text; he acts, improvises, sings—and sometimes he even reads.
Ever since his autobiographical novel *Panikherz* (published in 2016), the audience of “Stuckiman” (Lindenberg’s nickname for Stuckrad-Barre, who even had it certified as his stage name on his ID card) has, of course, come to know and love his consistently affectionate and never parodic way of to recite Lindenberg quotes as “Udo,” so to speak—and so Udo will be present vocally in the room every evening of this reading tour: gentle and wise, always a little different—otherwise, he wouldn’t be Udo. Stuckiman always has him with him, carries him within himself, because, as Stuckrad-Barre says: “I’ve been preparing for these evenings since my childhood.”
Translated with DeepL
