Music Hall star with a 75-year career, singer Marcel Amont died on Wednesday at the age of 93.
Known for his hits “Bleu, blanc, blond” or “Love passes the time”, the artist died at his home in Saint-Cloud (west of Paris), his family announced in a press release sent to AFP.
Marcel Miramon, his real name, became known in 1950 after leaving his native Bordeaux to sing in Parisian cabarets. In 1956, the artist opened for Edith Piaf at the Olympia. The same year, he was awarded a Grand Prix from the Académie Charles-Cros for his first album.
Despite the yé-yé surge of the 1960s, the singer remained true to himself, with titles like “Maria and the milk jug” (1965).
1970s star
The early 1970s marked the high point of his career. Marcel Amont was rewarded with a gold disc in 1971 (“L’amour ça passe le temps”), he triumphed at the Olympia and saw himself devote a TV show, “Amont-Tour”, where he performed with singers and dancers. In 1975, he tried his hand at musical comedy with “Why Wouldn’t You Sing?”, which he said “got a good review but no one came.”
After a period of disgrace, Marcel Amont returned to the Olympia in 1989, before signing his literary debut. He has also appeared in TV movies.
He had celebrated his 90th birthday on stage in Paris in 2019, during a concert at the Alhambra, surrounded by many artists such as Serge Lama, Nicoletta, Maxime le Forestier or Michel Jonasz.
