Die Höhner championed the traditions of German folk and karnevalsmusik into the 21st century, even singing in the local dialect of their native Köln. Peter Werner, Walter Pelzer, Rolf Lessenich, and Janus Fröhlich founded the group -- originally dubbed Höhnerhoff (i.e., "Chickenyard") -- in 1972. Per their tongue-in-cheek moniker, the quartet played its earliest gigs in chicken costumes, decorating the stage like a barnyard and dumping feathers onto the audience. Despite numerous lineup changes, the group found success throughout the next four decades, piling up an impressive array of hit singles, legendary performances, and awards in multiple genres. ~ Jason Ankeny