Born on December 24, 1955, in Bad Reichenhall, Bavaria, Germany, liedermacher Hans Söllner is well known for his reggae-inflected folk music style and notorious for his political rebelliousness. The popularity of this convert to Rastafarianism is arguably greater in Austria, where his albums regularly chart, than it is in his native Germany, where his public image is tarnished in the eyes of some due to his wide-ranging political criticism and public embrace of marijuana, which have made him the recipient of increasingly costly fines. Musically, Söllner is first and foremost a live performer -- many of his albums are in fact live recordings -- and this is a major aspect of his appeal. In later years, he toured frequently with the Austrian reggae band Bayaman'Sissdem. ~ Jason Birchmeier