Perhaps best known to international audiences for his performance in Wolfgang Petersen's much-acclaimed film Das Boot, in his native Germany, Herbert Grönemeyer is celebrated among the most successful rock singers of his generation. Born April 12, 1956, in Göttingen, Grönemeyer first earned attention as an actor, beginning his career in 1977. A gravel-voiced, blue-collar stadium rocker best likened to American acts such as Bob Seger and John Mellencamp, Grönemeyer also favored topical lyrics that mirrored his growing influence as an activist. ~ Jason Ankeny