366Art | Johnny Hallyday

Today, June 15th, is the birthday of Johnny Hallyday, one of the greatest rock and pop stars in the history of French music. The edit above  and his portrait on the musical reference works/birthday calendars below are made by me, Frieke.

Johnny Hallyday was born Jean-Philippe Smet on June 15, 1943, in Paris. His childhood was heavily influenced by his family circumstances. His parents divorced when he was very young. After the divorce, he was mainly raised by his aunt, Hélène Mar, who was married to an American dancer, Lee Hallyday, who introduced him to the world of American music, especially rock 'n' roll and country. Jean-Philippe adopted the stage name Johnny Hallyday, inspired by his stepfather, and began his music career in the early 1960s. He quickly became a teenage idol and was known for his performances of rock 'n' roll in the style of Elvis Presley. Johnny Hallyday's early years in music were both challenging and revolutionary. He broke through with Souvenirs, Souvenirs after a less successful first single, Laisse les Filles, released his debut album Hello! Johnny uit and performed at the first French rock festival in 1961. This event became a turning point in French music history. The performance nearly caused riots due to the excited and enthusiastic crowd of young fans who were seeing such an energetic and rebellious music style live for the first time. This reaction was unprecedented in France at the time. As a result of the unrest during the festival, rock 'n' roll performances were banned in France for a few months. Despite (or perhaps because of) the controversy, this incident solidified Johnny Hallyday's reputation as a groundbreaking and influential artist. He became a symbol of youthful rebellion and a pioneer of the rock 'n' roll culture in France. Viens Danser le Twist  is an iconic song by Hallyday from that time.

Hallyday sold over 100 million albums and released more than 50 studio albums. He was known for his powerful voice, energetic stage presence, and versatile music style, which included rock 'n' roll, blues, pop, and even country music. He had numerous hits in France and other French-speaking countries, including songs likeQue je t'aime (1969), Toute la Musique que J'aime (1973), Gabrielle (1976) Requiem pour un fou (1976), Ma Gueule (1980) Je te promets (1986),Diego, libre dans sa tête (1990) Allumer le feu (1998) en L'Envie (2000). In addition to his music career, Johnny Hallyday also had a successful film career, appearing in more than 30 films, including "L'Homme du train" and "Détective." The memorable Pour moi la vie va commencer is the soundtrack of the film "D'où viens-tu Johnny?" in which Hallyday played a leading role.

Hallyday's personal life often attracted media attention. He had multiple marriages and relationships throughout his life, including marrying the same woman, Adeline Blondieau, twice, and his high-profile marriages to Sylvie Vartan and Laeticia Hallyday. He had four children, including actress Laura Smet, and adopted two daughters with Laeticia.

Johnny Hallyday passed away on December 5, 2017, at the age of 74 from lung cancer. His death caused a wave of mourning in France and beyond. He was commemorated with a national ceremony on December 9, 2017, in Paris, where hundreds of thousands of fans gathered to pay their respects. The ceremony included a procession along the Champs-Élysées and a service at the Madeleine Church, attended by numerous celebrities and public figures. President Emmanuel Macron spoke during the service, praising Hallyday as an icon of French culture and music.

Johnny Hallyday's death marked the end of an era in French music history, but his legacy lives on in his extensive discography and the lasting influence he has had on generations of musicians and fans.