Michel Delpech

Jean-Michel Delpech (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ miʃɛl dɛlpɛʃ]; 26 January 1946 – 2 January 2016), known as Michel Delpech, was a French singer-songwriter and actor.

Michel Delpech
Michel Delpech in 2012
Background information
Birth nameJean-Michel Delpech
Born(1946-01-26)26 January 1946
Courbevoie, France
Died2 January 2016(2016-01-02) (aged 69)
Puteaux, France
GenresPop
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, actor
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1964–2015
LabelsVogue, Disques Festival, Barclay, Tréma, Disques AZ, Universal, Discovery, Arcade, Polydor, Polygram, Magic, Laserlight
Websitemicheldelpech.artistes.universalmusic.fr
Michel Delpech in concert at Louviers in October 2006

Career

In 1963, Delpech released his debut hit "Anatole" on Disques Vogue. In 1964, Delpech met Roland Vincent, and a long singing songwriting partnership ensued[1] with Delpech being signed to Festival French record label.

In 1965, he took part in the music comedy Copains Clopant that had a six-month run and made him very popular, particularly through his interpretation of "Chez Laurette". He was the opening act for Jacques Brel's goodbye concert at the Paris Olympia. In 1967, he collaborated with Johnny Stark. In 1968, he won the "Grand Prix du Disque" award for "Il y a des jours où on ferait mieux de rester au lit".

Then he left Vogue to sign with Barclay Records. At the peak of his success, he recorded "Wight Is Wight" in tribute to the Isle of Wight Festival, a famous rock festival on the Isle of Wight that became his best known song. It sold over one million copies in Europe, and was awarded gold disc status.[2]

'Pour Un Flirt' was a second smash hit. It charted in the French-speaking countries around the globe as well in the Netherlands, and a version in German brought him charts success in West Germany, Austria and Switzerland. An English translation, Flirt, made the Top 20 in the UK.

The early 1970s brought separation from Johnny Stark for two years, and the end of the long collaboration with Roland Vincent, his first-ever writer. He had some new releases but with limited success. In the 1980s, he enjoyed a comeback and released the album Loin d'ici. A compilation album followed in 1989. He continued releasing albums and making concerts. In December 2006, he released an album of duets Michel Delpech and that topped the French Albums Chart for one week (week of 21–27 January 2007). He also engaged on a French tour.

Personal life
  • In 1966, he met Chantal Simon whom he married. Later on the couple divorced, and Delpech suffered depression. He searched for relief in religions, mainly Buddhism and later the Catholic faith.
  • In the 1970s, there were also many rumours about attempted suicides, but he denied these rumours in a later biography.
  • In 1983, he met Geneviève Garnier-Fabre, a French artist and they married in 1985.
  • In 1990, he had a son, Emmanuel. He became a talented guitarist and joined his father in his concerts since 2007.
  • In 2007, Pascal Louvrier wrote a biography about him titled Michel Delpech - Mis à Nu published on Editions Perrin.
  • In 2011, he played the role of Françoit Gouriot in Beloved (French title: Les Bien-aimés)
  • In 2011, he was a guest of honor for the sixth season of Âge tendre et Têtes de bois broadcast in France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Death

Delpech had long been a heavy smoker, going through a pack of cigarettes daily starting at the age of 18 and quitting only after his diagnosis to throat cancer in 2013.[3][4] He died at a hospital in Puteaux, France on 2 January 2016 at the age of 69.[5]

Discography

Albums
  • 1966: Inventaire 66
  • 1969: Il y a des jours où on ferait mieux de rester au lit
  • 1970: Album
  • 1974: Le chasseur
  • 1975: Quand j'étais chanteur
  • 1979: 5000 kilomètres
  • 1986: Oubliez tout ce que je vous ai dit
  • 1991: Les Voix du Brésil
  • 1997: Le roi de rien
  • 1999: Cadeau de Noël
  • 2004: Comme Vous
  • 2006: Michel Delpech &
  • 2009: Sexa
Compilations
  • 1990: J'étais un ange
  • 1999: Fan de toi (2 CDs)
  • 2008: Fan de toi (3 CDs)
  • 2008: Les 100 plus belles chansons
  • 2009: Best of
Live albums
  • 1972: Olympia 1972
  • 2005: Ce lundi-là au Bataclan
  • 2007: Live au Grand Rex

Singles
Disques Vogue
  • 1964: "Anatole"
  • 1965: "Chez Laurette"
Festival
  • 1964 : "Elle se moque de toi"
  • 1965 : "Copains Clopants" (with Chantal Simon)
  • 1965 : "Chez Laurette" (rereleased in 1970 and with Musidisc in 1978)
  • 1965 : "T'en fais pas"
  • 1965 : "Plus d'bac"
  • 1966 : "Marie-toi Marie Jo" (rereleased in 1970)
  • 1966 : "Inventaire 66"
  • 1966 : "Quand on aime comme on s'aime"
  • 1966 : "Le restaurant chinois" (rereleased in 1970)
  • 1967 : "La Femme de l'an 3000"
Barclay
  • 1967 : "Il faut regarder les étoiles"
  • 1967 : "Pour un coin de Pologne"
  • 1968 : "Poupée cassée"
  • 1968 : "Les p'tits cailloux blancs"
  • 1969 : "Le Mauvais Jardinier"
  • 1969 : "Wight Is Wight"
  • 1969 : "Quand la pluie tombe en été"
  • 1970 : "Chérie-Lise"
  • 1970 : "Un coup de pied dans la montagne"
  • 1971 : "Le blé en herbe"
  • 1971 : "La Vie, La Vie"
  • 1971 : *Pour un flirt
  • 1972 : "Quand un soldat reviens"
  • 1972 : "Même pendant la guerre on chante"
  • 1972 : "Fan de toi"
  • 1972 : "Que Marianne était jolie"
  • 1973 : "Rimbaud chanterait"
  • 1973 : "Les divorcés"
  • 1973 : "Les aveux"
  • 1973 : "Je pense à toi"
  • 1974 : "Je l'attendais"
  • 1974 : "Le chasseur (Les oies sauvages)"
  • 1975 : "Quand j’étais chanteur"
  • 1976 : "Ce lundi-là"
  • 1976 : "Tu me fais planer"
  • 1976 : "La fille avec des baskets"
  • 1977 : "Fais un bébé"
  • 1977 : "Le Loir et Cher"
  • 1978 : "C’est ta chanson" (remake of "Your Song")
  • 1979 : "Trente manières de quitter une fille" (remake of "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover")
  • 1979 : "Je cherche un endroit"
  • 1980 : "Docker"
  • 1981 : "Bombay"
  • 1983 : "Animaux animaux"
  • 1984 : "Loin d'ici"
Pathé-Marconi / EMI / Charles Talar Records
  • 1985 : "Rock en U.R.S.S."
  • 1986 : "J'peux pas dormir"
  • 1986 : "Oubliez tout ce que je vous ai dit"
  • 1987 : "Petite France"
  • 1988 : "Ces mots-là"
Carrère
  • 1988 : "Fais glisser tes bas... ces mots-là"
Tréma
  • 1989 : "Pleurer le chanteur"
  • 1990 : "J'étais un ange"
  • 1991 : "Les voix du Brésil"
  • 1992 : "Terre d'amour"

References
  1. "Delpech - Biography". RFI Music. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  2. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 278. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  3. Média, Prisma. "Michel Delpech: « Face au cancer, je n'ai pas d'autre choix que de me ressaisir » - Gala". Gala.fr (in French). Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  4. Média, Prisma. "Michel Delpech raconte son combat contre le cancer - Gala". Gala.fr (in French). Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  5. Michel Delpech est mort (in French)
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