French Legend Charles Aznavour Dies Aged 94
Image source Wikimedia
French legend Charles Aznavour has died at the age of 94 at one of his homes in the south east of France, a spokesman has confirmed.
The iconic singer and songwriter had a career lasting more than 80 years.
Charles Aznavour, born to Armenian immigrants, sold more than 180 million records and featured in over 60 films.
He was best known for his 1974 hit She and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017. Charles Aznavour married three times and had six children.
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Charles Aznavour was named entertainer of the century by CNN in 1998.
He was born in Paris in 1924 to Armenian parents who fled the country’s genocide to begin a new life in the French capital.
Charles Aznavour’s lyrics drew on his own experiences of growing up in deprivation as an immigrant.
He was due to take on a seven-date tour across France and Switzerland, starting in November this year.
The singer had recently returned from a tour in Japan, having been forced to cancel concerts this summer due to a broken arm.
Charles Aznavour recorded more than 1,200 songs in seven different languages and performed in 94 countries.
His song She was famously performed by Elvis Costello in the opening credits of Richard Curtis’ movie Notting Hill.
Dubbed France’s Frank Sinatra, Charles Aznavour wrote his own songs on taboo subjects about marriage, gay and male expression of emotions.
His 1973 hit, What Makes a Man, was about a gay transvestite.
Still performing to packed stadiums well into his 90s, Charles Aznavour continued to write songs about his life, including his Swedish wife to celebrate 50 years of marriage.
As well as a singer, Charles Aznavour was a successful actor and played the lead in the 1960 film Shoot the Piano Player.
Charles Aznavour also appeared in the Oscar-winning The Tin Drum, playing a kindly Jewish toy seller.
He sang for presidents, popes and royal families and at a number of humanitarian events.
President Emmanuel Macron was a big fan of Charles Aznavour and sang many of his songs during karaoke nights with friends when he was a student, according to former classmates.
Charles Aznavour was heavily involved in charity work and founded an organization after the 1988 Armenian earthquake with friend Levon Sayan.
In 2009, Charles Aznavour was appointed ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland and he also became Armenia’s delegate to the UN in Geneva.