Here is a French version of the famous song Summertime, by the great and unjustly forgotten singer John William.
Born Ernest Armand Huss in 1922 in Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast, of a native mother and an Alsacian colonist, he was taken from his mother when he was only 18 months old, then uprooted at eight years of age. But his great tragedy was to be sent during WWII to a Nazi concentration camp along with other Black men. Finally fate will smile on him when he wins in 1952 the great prize of Deauville with the song Je suis un Nègre ("I am a Negro"), that seems specially written for him. Many hits and rewards will follow and the great singer will record many songs, mostly French versions of songs taken from famous American movies (Gunfight at the O.K. corral, The great escape, High noon, The Alamo, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago [he has a best-seller in 1966 with Lara's song], The longest day...). From 1969 on he is the first French singer to introduce gospel and Negro spirituals in the churches of France. In 1973, he performs in Belgium, in Show boat, giving a great version of the famous song Old man river. He has recorded more than 350 hits. He was recently awarded the Légion d'honneur. He passed away in 2011.
Listen to John's deep voice and enjoy!
C'est l'été
5 comments:
hi ;)
Je suis très content que l'on pense à un GRAND de la musique francaise... par sa simplicité et son talent !! ENORME CHANTEUR
musique de films.... GIGANTESQUE !
BRAVO WILLIAM !!
PS: Sur internet il est très souvent confondu avec l'américain John WilliamS.
atoidejouer2006@yahoo.fr
Thank YOU A LOT for mail !
J'ai toujours en pensée cet anniversaire fêté dans cette cathédrale d'Agen il y a quelques année. Père et filles ont chanté à en donner des frissons ! Je garde précieusement ce moment là en moi parce qu'il y a des personnes qui font du bien !
Lyne
Well said.
I have a huge favor to ask of you. I really need this song a friend of mine wants to sing it on a show in march, and it is imperative that we have it in about a week. If you read this post, please, send it or any trace leading to it to lxndrzl@gmail.com. thank you thank you thank you thank you
Sorry for my english. Looking for any documentation of this singer, I've used this great presentation to link in my blog, about a version of "Goldfinger" singed for this man.
I hope you are not desagree
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