Gilbert Montagné - Elle Chantait Ma Vie En Musique (1973)

This is a French version of the song "Killing me softly with his song", that was originally performed by Roberta Flack, a complete soul hit at the beginning of 70s decade and much covered by many artists, like Gilbert Montagné in this, in the other hand, beautiful version.

Record information: 1973 chez CBS / Série Gémini / Labrador (CBS 1502)

Cover photo: Alain Sadoc
Soloist: Gilbert MONTAGNÉ
Others: Guy FLORIANT (Auteur-Compositeur) - Eddy MARNAY (Auteur-Compositeur) - Alain SADOC (Photographe)

Side A : Dans Mon Piano Il-y 'a Des Oiseaux (Guy Floriant / Gilbert Montagné)
Side B : Elle Chantait Ma Vie En Musique (Killing Me Softly With His Song) (Eddy Marnay / Charles Fox)

Credits: arr. and orchestra direction: Philippe Briche
Artistic Production: Claude Delcloo

Gilbert Montagné was a French composer and singer born in December 28th of 1951, being a premature child after a six months pregnancy period and only reaching 950 gr. weight. Due to this quite early childbirth, was incubed but the rich air in oxygen caused him a retinopathy. Completely blind since then, he's fourth child member in a modest family. Soon discover music with five years old and went to a special institute at Saint-Mandé, receiving a tough but classic education. However, he went selfish and learned to play piano by himself, developing a taste for varieties, jazz and rock. Spent six years at the National Institute of Blind Teenagers, a period in which played organ too.

Towards 1968, with sixteen years, Gilbert decided to qualify for auditions in an approach to start a music career, recording a first 45rpm single "Quand On Ferme Les Yeux", written by Pierre Delanoë, under Lor Thomas seudonym and published by Philips French label, being unsuccessful however. He then decides to join his sister, a French professor at Miami, and inscribe University training for classical music. In his free duties, played jazz and soul music at night clubs in Miami and New York.

After that period, became to marry with Maureen Byrne (divorced her at 1993) returning to France and form a family with two children. Actually, since 1999, Gilbert Montagné is married with Nikole.

In 1971, a telephone call from Salvatore Adamo convinced him to come back Europe. On May, Gilbert spent several days at London with Joe Cocker and Elvis Presley's female choir to record "The Fool", a breath-taking success in all the world and a complete number 1 in twelve countries.



Discography:

1971 : The Fool
1973 : Dans mon piano il y a de la musique
1976 : Y faut que ça swing
1981 : Ta vie
1984 : Liberté
1985 : Quelques notes de musique
1987 : Vivre en couleur
1989 : Entre douceur et violence
1991 : Accord magiques
1993 : Rien qu'une amitié
1995 : Comme une etoile
1998 : Mélange de couleur
2002 : Rien sans ton amour
2006 : Get Ready
2009 : Unplugged

Most celebrated songs:

1971 : "The Fool"
1972 : "Baby I Feel So Fine", "Aime-moi"
1973 : "La craie dans l'encrier" (Duo avec Catherine Lara)
1980 : "Believe in me"
1981 : "Ta vie"
1982 : "On s'en fout nous on s'aime"
1983 : "On va s'aimer", "Musicienne"
1984 : "J'ai le blues de toi", "Les sunlights des tropiques"
1985 : "Au Soleil"
1987 : "Je veux tout"
1989 : "Perdu dans New-York"
1991 : "Le cœur en sursis"
1993 : "Décoller"
1996 : "Comme une étoile", "Histoire de femmes", Ma chérie"
2002 : "Entendre ton sourire"
2006 : "Get Ready"

Official site