Trivia

Had a romance with Estonian actress Eve Kivi for over 20 years, until his death.

Many suspect his death may have come at the hands of the KGB. Months before his death, he was interviewed for the US news program "60 Minutes", and stated that he was considering a return to the USA. He lamented his anonymity in the USA in a song written for him, "Nobody Knows Me Back in My Hometown".

Tom Hanks optioned a biography titled "Comrade Rockstar" to produce a movie on his life.

Considered himself a Marxist rather than a communist and never joined East Germany's Socialist Unity Party SED.

While immensely popular in Eastern Europe and a resident of East Germany, he maintained his United States citizenship.

Had three children: Ramona (born in 1968) with Patty Hobbs, Natalie (born in 1976) with Wiebke Dorndeck (née Schmidt), and the adopted Alexander (born in 1969) with Renate Blume.

Born to Cyril Reed, a teacher, and his wife Ruth Anna Hansen, a housewife, he had two brothers, Vern and Dale.

Abandoned his studies at the University of Colorado after some years to start a career as musician in Hollywood (1959).