He was called “The Elvis Presley of France” and was one of the most revered stars of the French-speaking world—even while remaining virtually unknown outside of it. Johnny Hallyday died Dec. 6 at age 74. The place and cause of death were not reported but it is known that Hallyday was being treated for lung cancer.
Said French President Emmanuel Macron in a statement, “We all have a piece of Johnny Hallyday inside every one of us. The public today is in tears, and the whole country mourns. The rock ‘n’ roll attitude which he brought from the US made him an idol to youth of the 60s. When the good days of rock ’n’ roll were over, the public could have abandoned him but a new life for him began.”
Hallyday enjoyed stardom in France for nearly 60 years. Born Jean-Philippe Léo Smet on June 15, 1943, to a French mother and Belgian father, he became obsessed with Elvis Presley after seeing the American singer’s movie Loving You at age 14. He learned how to play guitar, changed his name and began singing professionally, releasing his debut single, “Laisse les filles,” in 1960 on France’s Vogue label.
Hallyday branched out from singing early in his career, becoming a respected actor, and also expanded his musical horizons, gravitating toward a more mainstream pop style and also recording R&B, country and other styles. But he never stopped singing rock. As The New York Times pointed out in its obituary, he used guitarists such as Jimmy Page and Peter Frampton on his recording sessions and once had the Jimi Hendrix Experience open for him at some shows. He also employed Elvis’ backup vocalists, the Jordanaires, to sing on some of his records.
In 1965 Hallyday married actress Sylvie Vartan, with whom he co-starred in the film Where Are You From, Johnny? They divorced in 1980.
Related: Johnny Hallyday is among hundreds of rock stars not yet inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame
Hallyday recorded more than 50 albums and sold more than 100 million records.
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Watch Johnny Hallyday on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1962
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