Sorry, but I just copied this from Wikipedia, Henri Salvador just died, I am sad, I loved this man, he would always make us laugh (with his famous laugh) and he could bring us the most nicest, funniest, romantic, swinging songs. We’ll miss you Henri, have a drink with Dad, he loved you too !(Specially ‘the Blues of the Dentist’ !)
Henri Salvador (born July 18, 1917, died February 13, 2008) was a French singer. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of a native Indian from the Caribbean, were both from Guadeloupe, France.
Born in Cayenne, French Guiana, his musical career began as a guitarist accompanying other singers. He had learned the guitar by imitating Django Reinhardt’s recordings, and was to work alongside him in the 1940s.
Salvador recorded several songs written by Boris Vian with Quincy Jones as arranger. He is known to have recorded the first French rock and roll song in 1956 written by Boris Vian and Michel Legrand.
In the sixties Salvador was the host of several popular television variety shows on French TV.
In 1964 he scored a hit with “Zorro est arrivé”, which was inspired by The Coasters’ U.S. hit “Along Came Jones”. He is also famous for his rich, catchy laugh, which is a subject in many of his humorous songs.
In 1969, Henri Salvador recorded a variation of “Mah Nà Mah Nà” titled “Mais Non, Mais Non” (”But No, But No” or “Of Course Not, Of Course Not”), with lyrics he had written in French to Piero Umiliani tune.
Henri Salvador and his song “Dans mon île” (1957) was an influence on Antônio Carlos Jobim in formulating the Brazilian Bossa Nova style.
Caetano Veloso, a famous Brazilian composer and singer, made Henri Salvador famous to Brazilian audiences with the song “Reconvexo”, in which he says “quem não sentiu o swing de Henri Salvador?” (’who hasn’t felt the swing of Henri Salvador?’)
He had a brother, André, and a sister, Alice. He became a musician and comedian. Later he discovered singers Keren Ann and Art Mengo.
Henri continued to be popular today among French communities in Canada. In 2000, Virgin Records released a CD featuring popular hits like “Jazz Mediterrannee” which continues to receive regular air play. In 2002 his album ‘Chambre Avec Vue’ sold over two million copies. In 2005, Henri Salvador was awarded the Brazilian Order of Cultural Merit, which he received from the acclaimed singer and Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, in the presence of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for his influence on Brazilian culture, particularly on bossa nova, to whose invention he contributed. He was also a commander of the French Légion d’honneur and of the National Order of Merit. In 2007 he released “Reverence” on V2 Records which features Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. He then went on to perform the track “La Vie C’est La Vie” from the album “Reverence” on the BBC programme “Later… With Jools Holland,” which aired on 4th May 2007.
He died of a ruptured aneurysm at his home in the early hours of February 13, 2008. He was 90 years of age.
