As an accomplished levenslied singer, Hazes recorded 36 studio and live albums, and 55 singles prior to his death in 2004.

His biggest hits include "Eenzame Kerst" (1976), "Een Beetje Verliefd" (1981), "Ik Meen 't" (1985), "Wij Houden van Oranje" (1988), "Bloed, Zweet en Tranen" (2002), "Zij Gelooft in Mij" (Originally from 1981, re-recorded and released in 1999, re-released after his death in 2004) and "Blijf Bij Mij" (a virtual duet with Gerard Joling, 2007).

At the age of eight, he was discovered at the Albert Cuyp Market by comedian Johnny Kraaykamp and made his television debut on Weekendshow in 1959, where he sang a song in fake Italian, "Piove".

Hazes pursued several odd jobs (ordinary seaman, flower delivery boy, chimney sweep, butcher's apprentice, bicycle repairman, trench digger, construction worker, demolition man, market salesman, and disc jockey) before building up a reputation as a singing barman in his hometown, in café De Krommert on the Witte de Withstraat.

During his heyday Hazes also had a sideline as an actor; in 1982 he played a restaurant owner in the Inspector General-inspired movie De Boezemvriend (starring his comedian namesake Andre van Duin), in 1983 he appeared in the comedy series Zoals U Wenst Mevrouw (As you wish Madam) as a down-and-out taking a gardening job under false pretenses and singing new lyrics to recent hits.

Meanwhile Hazes' backing musicians at the time recorded a parody medley for their notorious comedy music project Rubberen Robbie.

In 1986 Hazes released two albums; the first featured Italian covers (including "Volare", "Bueno Sera" and a new version of "Piove" which he first sang in his childhood days) and was dedicated to the memory of Willy Alberti.

Extracted singles are "De Gokker" ("The Gambler") and "Jammer" ("Crying Time", converted into an earth pollution-song); the latter was backed by "Working in a Coal Mine".

The film portrayed the singer as a tragic man of simple ways, a well-meaning but clueless father and lousy husband tormented by stage fright and a propensity towards drinking.

Hazes had mixed feelings about the film, but most viewers saw a man who had remained true to his humble background and whose raw emotional songs were genuinely felt.

Not only did that happen, four days after he died, a startling crowd of about 48,000 attended a memorial ceremony in his honour at the Amsterdam Arena stadium.

Exactly one year after his death, in accordance with his wishes, Hazes' remaining ashes were distributed over a couple of skyrockets, which were then launched into the sky by his surviving relatives.

After the divorce from André, Dijkstra married his older brother Joop, who went viral in 2023 with the song "Mijn broertje".

Hazes was Van Galen's senior by nineteen years; she gave birth to his third and fourth child, daughter Roxeanne (1993) and son André Jr. (1994).

He is the son of André Jr. Lemming Film released the movie Bloed, zweet & tranen, named after a song of Hazes, in 2015.