Singer, born in Narbonne, S France. He studied painting before turning to music, and throughout a long career lost neither vitality nor youthful optimism. He performed with Johnny Hess in 19346 as the duo Les Collégiens Swing, then went to the ABC where he made Y'a d'la Joie. Famous after his first film La Route Enchantée (1938), many record successes followed, including Je chante, La polka du Roi, and notably La Mer, Boum (1938, Grand Prix du Disque), La Porte du Garage, and Douce France. He made a farewell tour in Canada in 1983 and some triumphal reappearances on stage in 1986 and 1997. In 1983 he was rejected by the Académie Française in spite of undeniable qualities as a poet. He received the Légion d'Honneur in 1998.
Charles Trenet (May 18, 1913, Narbonne, France – February 19, 2001, Créteil, France) was a French singer and songwriter, most famous for his recordings from the late 1930s through the mid-1950s, though his career continued through the 1990s. In an era in which it was exceptional for a singer to write his or her own material, Trenet wrote prolifically and declined to record any but his own songs.
Some of his best known songs include "Boum", "Y'a d'la joie", "Que reste-t-il de nos amours?", "Menilmontant", and "Douce France". While many of his songs mined relatively conventional topics such as love, Paris, and nostalgia for his younger days, what set Trenet's songs apart were their personal, poetic, sometimes quite eccentric qualities, often infused with a warm wit.
Other artists have had hits with some of Trenet's songs, such as the American Bobby Darin's success with "Beyond the Sea" ("La Mer"). Other Trenet songs were recorded by such popular French singers as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Sablon, and Frehel.
Early life
At the age of seven Trenet was sent to boarding school in Béziers, but he returned home just a few months later, suffering from typhoid fever. In 1922 the Trenet family moved to Perpignan this time as a day pupil.
When Trenet first arrived in Paris in the 1930s, he worked in a movie studio as a props handler and assistant, and later joined up with the artists in the Montparnasse neighbourhood.
Music career
From 1933 to 1936, he worked with the Swiss pianist Johnny Hess as a duo known as "Charles and Johnny".
The duo continued until 1936 when Trenet was called up for national service. It was after his national service that Trenet received the nickname that he would retain all his life: "Le fou chantant" (the singing fool: or, madman). In 1937, Trenet began his solo career, recording for Columbia, his first disc being "Je chante/Fleur blue". The exuberant "Je chante" commenced the notion of Trenet as a 'singing vagabond', a theme that appeared in a number of his early songs and films.
World War II
At the start of World War II, Trenet was mobilized. The collaborationist press tried to compromise his name and published that "Trenet" was the anagram of "Netter" — a Jewish name. It is only fair to note that, as a gay man, Trenet was himself in grave danger of deportation to the camps and may have had little choice but to co-operate and keep a low profile.
After the war
After the war he decided to move to United States where he lived for a few years and where he quickly became a success. After a few triumphant concerts at the Bagdad in New York, Trenet, who never married, became a big hit and was approached by Hollywood. His song "La Mer", which according to the legend he had composed with Leo Chauliac on a train in 1943, was recorded in 1946.
Return to France
On September 14, 1951, Trenet returned to Paris and made a comeback at the "Théâtre de l'Etoile". He incorporated ten new songs into his act, including "De la fenêtre d'en haut" and "La folle complainte".
In 1958, Trenet was the headlining act at the "Bobino" and the "Alhambra".
In 1963, Trenet spent 28 days in prison in Aix-en-Provence. His chaffeur claimed that Trenet was using him as a pimp. The charges were eventually dropped, but the affair brought to public light the fact that Trenet was gay.
1970s
In 1970, Trenet flew to Japan to represent France at the Universal Exhibition in Osaka.
In 1973, Trenet, who had just celebrated his 60th birthday, recorded a new album, Chansons en liberté. The twelve songs on this album were an interesting mix of old and new compositions.
Trenet made a surprise announcement in 1975, declaring that he was retiring from the music world.
Later career
Nevertheless, in 1981 Trenet made a comeback with a new album, devoted to sentimental memories of his childhood. Trenet then returned to his peaceful semi-retirement in the South of France, occasionally rousing himself to give a special gala performance in France or abroad.
On May 21, 1999, he returned to the forefront of the music scene with a brand new album entitled Les poètes descendent dans la rue (Poets Take to the Streets). Nearly sixty years after writing his legendary classic "La mer", Trenet proved that he was capable of coming up with fourteen inspired new tracks. Following the success of the album, Trenet returned to the live circuit.
In April 2000 old age began to catch up with Trenet, however, and he was rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke.
In November 2000 the Narbonne house in which Trenet was born — which had become 13 Avenue Charles Trenet — was turned into a tiny museum. Visitors were able to view souvenirs from Trenet's childhood and family life (especially those belonging to his mother, who had spent most of her life in the house), as well as original drafts of the songs which had made his career.
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