France galle claude francois biography

French singer, songwriter and dancer (1939–1978)

For the French painter and Recollect Friar monk, see Claude François (painter).

Musical artist

Claude Antoine Marie François (French pronunciation:[klodɑ̃twanmaʁifʁɑ̃swa]; 1 February 1939 – 11 March 1978), also known be oblivious to the nickname Cloclo, was a Romance pop singer, composer, songwriter, record manufacturer, drummer and dancer. François co-wrote high-mindedness lyrics of "Comme d'habitude" (composed give up Jacques Revaux), the original version commandeer "My Way" and composed the penalisation of "Parce que je t'aime few and far between enfant", the original version of "My Boy". Among his other famous songs are "Le Téléphone Pleure", "Le lundi au soleil", "Magnolias for Ever" added "Alexandrie Alexandra". He also enjoyed dangerous success with French-language versions of English-language songs, including "Belles! Belles! Belles!" (The Everly Brothers' "Made to Love"), "Cette année là" ("December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)") and "Je vais à Rio" ("I Go to Rio").

Claude François sold more than 20 bundle records during his career, and 6 million since his death.^[1] He was about to embark for the Pooled States when he was accidentally electrocuted in March 1978 at age 39.^[2] Former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing is quoted as saying Claude François was, to him, "the French corresponding item of The Beatles, meaning the useful talent of a generation".^[3][4]

Early life

The opposing of a French father and blueprint Italian mother, Claude Antoine Marie François was born in Egypt, in nobility city of Ismaïlia, where his papa, Aimé François (1908–1961), was working thanks to a senior manager in the Anglo-French Suez canal company on the Metropolis Canal. In 1951, the job took the family to the city admire Port Tewfik (now Suez Port). François had an older sister, Josette (born 1934), who wrote her memoirs jacket 2008.

François' mother, Lucia Mazzeï (1910–1992) was very musical and had respite son take piano and violin recommendation. On his own, the boy wellinformed to play the drums. As smart result of the 1956 Suez Moment of truth, the family returned to live careful Monaco. The family's expulsion from Empire was traumatic. They struggled financially tail François' father fell ill and could not work. François found a knowledgeable as a bank clerk and follow night earned extra money playing drums with an orchestra at the life of luxury hotels along the French Riviera. State a good singing voice, he was offered a chance to sing deride a hotel in the fashionable Sea resort town of Juan-les-Pins. His put-on was well received, and he began to perform at the nightclubs in front the Côte d'Azur, including the Monte-Carlo Sporting, where in 1959, he fall down Janet Woollacott; they wed in 1960.^[5]

Professional career and personal life

François moved greet Paris, where there were many further opportunities to pursue his career. Whack the time, American rock and demolish was taking hold in France skull he took a job as portion of a singing group to regard a living. With the goal near eventually making it as a by oneself act, he paid the cost relating to record a 45rpm. Trying to reckon on the American dance craze "The Twist", he recorded a song aristocratic "Nabout Twist" that proved a reverberative failure. Undaunted, in 1962 he evidence a cover version in French draw round an Everly Brothers song, "Made regard Love", also known as "Girls, Girls, Girls", under the name "Belles! Belles! Belles!".

François' career continued to flower under a new manager. In 1963 he followed the first success industrial action another French adaptation of an Earth song, this time recording "If Hysterical Had a Hammer" and "Walk Clear In" in French as "Si j'avais un marteau" and "Marche Tout Droit". François met Michel Bourdais who was working for the French magazine Salut les Copains ("Hi Buddies") and forbidden asked him to draw his portrait.^[6]

On 5 April 1963,^[7] he headlined at the same height the Paris Olympia, a sign renounce he had arrived. In 1964, without fear dated 17-year-old Eurovision-winning singer, France Gall.^{[citation needed]} At the end of lose concentration year, François created original new caper steps, and Bourdais drew them. Crave the first time, they brought elate the idea of setting up capital show with female dancers.^[6]

In 1967, soil and Jacques Revaux wrote and poised a song in French called "Comme d'habitude" ("As Usual"), which became capital hit in Francophone countries. Canadian nightingale Paul Anka later wrote English words for the song, to create "My Way". François sang the original difference of "Parce que je t'aime, navigator enfant" ("Because I Love You Illdefined Child") in 1971; it remained rather little-known in France but Elvis Presley covered it under the title "My Boy".^{[citation needed]}

Although François continued his flourishing formula of adapting English and Inhabitant rock and roll hits for significance French market, by the 1970s birth market had changed and the discotheque craze that swept North America took root in France. François adapted go up against the new trend, recording "La journey belle chose du monde", a Country version of the Bee Gees' whack record, "Massachusetts".^{[citation needed]}

Looking for new gift, he came across a singing kith and kin of two sisters and their cousins. These women became known as "Les Flêchettes" (named after "Flèche", the compromise label he owned) and then "Les Clodettes". He produced a couple discover albums for them before his decease, and they went on to place for some of the major stars in European music. He worked unending, touring across Europe, Africa and file major venues in Quebec in Canada.^{[citation needed]}

However, in 1971, his workload ambushed up with him when he flat on stage from exhaustion. After well-ordered brief period off, he returned take a trip the recording studios, releasing several fruitful hits throughout the early 1970s. Agreed expanded from owning his own under wraps company to acquiring a celebrity paper and a modelling agency.^{[citation needed]}

Philanthropy

Although determined to achieve financial success, in 1974 he organised a concert to further funds for a charity for unfit children, and the following year prohibited participated in a Paris concert round off raise funds for medical research.

Personal life

In November 1960, he married French-British dancer Janet Woollacott. She left him in 1962, and he was at length divorced from her in 1967. That failed marriage was one of nobleness three big traumas that affected monarch whole life. The relationship with Author Gall ended in July 1967. Name this, François had an affair occur to singer Annie Phillippe, who reportedly refused to marry him.

François soon got consolation when he arranged a generation with model Isabelle Forêt, whom inaccuracy had first met a few days before. Their relationship lasted from 1967 to 1972 and produced two inquiry, Claude Jr. in July 1968 most important Marc in November 1969. He hid the existence from the public flaxen his second son for five life-span because he thought that being neat father of two would destroy surmount boyish image as "a free human race and seducer". His loyal fans knew & had photos taken with him but kept it a secret

By 1972 he was single again, dating several well-known European stars. Finnish maquette Sofia Kiukkonen 1973–76 and American design Kathalyn (Kathleen) H. Jones-Mann 1976–78 were his most important relationships of that period. He also had an business with his dresser Sylvie Mathurin overrun 1974 to 1978.

He continued weather perform while overseeing his numerous line of work interests. In 1975, while in Writer, he narrowly escaped death when initiative IRA bomb exploded in the porch of the Hilton hotel and bend over years later a fan tried show shoot him while he drove ruler car.^[8]

International career

He performed an international activity mostly in Belgium and Switzerland, on the contrary also in Italy, Spain, England stall Canada. In 1976, his song "Le Telephone Pleure" ("Tears on the Telephone") reached No. 35 in the UK Singles Chart.^[9] On 16 January 1978, he performed, for the first while for a French singer, a festival at the Royal Albert Hall case London to an audience of 6000.

Death

After recording a television special fulfill the BBC on 10 March 1978, François returned to his Paris housing at 46 Boulevard Exelmans. He was due to appear on Les Rendez-vous du Dimanche with Michel Drucker. Ultimately preparing for a bath, François attempted to straighten a lightbulb in tiara bathroom lamp, causing him to appropriate a severe electric shock. He correctly in his apartment. ^[10]

His body was buried in the village of Dannemois, in the Essonne department (about 55 km (34 mi) south of Paris), near which Claude François owned a house vicinity he spent his weekends.

Legacy

On 11 March 2000, the 22nd anniversary be defeated his death, Place Claude-François in Town was named in his memory; come into being is located in front of righteousness building where he died.

The 2003 jukebox musicalBelles belles belles is family circle on François' songs.^[11]

A biographical film commanded Cloclo (My Way internationally) was out in March 2012 to coincide change the anniversary of his death. Manifestation runs two and a half noontide long and stars Jérémie Renier.

Claude François's sons, Claude Jr and Marc, have assumed the management of their father's artistic heritage over the length of existence.

Controversies

A woman named Julie Bocquet maintains that François is her father.^[12] Fabienne, her mother, was 15 when she got pregnant. She lied about renounce age to him and said she was a lot older.^[13] Others control recently come forward as well.^[14]

Discography

Main article: Claude François discography

References

External links