Mireille Mathieu

Mireille Mathieu

Mireille Mathieu (IPA: [miʁɛj maˈtjø] in French) (born July 22, 1946) is a French singer, who besides being successful in her own country, became a star of international stature, recording in several languages.

Biography

She was born in Avignon, Vaucluse, France, the oldest daughter of a poor family of 14 children. She began singing as a child, appearing in public at the age of four, singing in her church. As a young girl she worked in a factory, where she saved her money to pay for singing lessons.

Discovered by Johnny Stark, manager of France's biggest star at the time, Johnny Hallyday, she was tutored by orchestra leader Paul Mauriat and song writer André Pascal who wrote "Mon crédo", "Viens dans ma rue", "La première étoile" and many other hits for her . After her television performance in 1965 and debut run at the Paris Olympia, she was immediately hailed as the next Édith Piaf, such was her haunting voice.

Singles such as "Mon Credo" and "C'est Ton Nom" made her a huge star in France and all over Europe while making her a big success in North America and Mexico. Her first album release in 1966 En Direct de L'Olympia - on the Barclay label - featured amongst others these songs and was highly acclaimed by the critics.

Her French cover of Engelbert Humperdinck's "The Last Waltz" generated much publicity in Great Britain and with hit after hit, she soon toured Canada and the United States where she appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and the Danny Kaye Show. In Las Vegas, she sang with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra to great applause.

Still much in demand, she continues to perform regularly. She travels frequently, appearing at such venues as New York City's Carnegie Hall, Sport Palace in Montreal, Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles and Ice Palace of St. Petersburg. She has sold about 150 million copies of her albums in her 40 year career, recorded about 1200 songs in 9 languages, and was the first western singer in history who gave concerts in China. Over the years she sang duets with such luminaries as Charles Aznavour, Barry Manilow, Paul Anka, Plácido Domingo, Julio Iglesias, Tom Jones, Peter Alexander and others.

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Songs such as "Acropolis adieu," "Ne me quitte pas," and "Santa Maria de la mer," are considered classics. Her French version of Roy Orbison's ballad, "Blue Bayou", is regarded by many as one of the best covers of that popular song. Noted French/Algerian lyricist Eddy Marnay who wrote songs for Edith Piaf during her later career was the author of several of the songs Mireille recorded and popularized.

In 1989, President François Mitterrand invited Mireille Mathieu to sing a tribute to General de Gaulle. She gave a series of concerts at the Palais des Congrès in Paris in December 1990. Three years later, she released an album devoted to her all-time idol, Edith Piaf.

In January 1996, "Vous lui direz…" was released. Maxime le Forestier wrote one of the titles, "A la moitié de la distance". She did not choose to perform live in France to promote the album, preferring rather to go to Los Angeles USA, where she triumphed on November 14th with her vibrant tribute to another of her idols, Judy Garland. The performance was a tremendous success she was dressed by Provence couturier, Christian Lacroix and looked stunning for the performance. [1]

In 2002, she released her 37th French album De tes mains. Mathieu celebrated the 40th anniversary of her career at the Paris Olympia, in November 2005, after releasing her 38th French album, which reached number 14 on the charts in France (it remained in the top 100 for several months).

Many of Mireille's recordings since 1969 featured members of "The Fleschettes" (Francine Chantereau, Martine Latorre, Dominque Poulain and Catherine Bonnevay Welch) as backing chorus vocalists.

Songs

Main article: List of Mireille Mathieu songs

Discography (Albums)

Year	Album	Country	Notes
1966	En Direct de L'Olympia	France
1966	The Fabulous New French Singing Star	USA
1967	Made in France	France
1967	En direct de l'Olympia	France	Live recording
1968	Le merveilleux petit monde de Mireille Mathieu chante Noël	France	Christmas album
1969	La première etoile	France
1969	Mayerling	Mexique
1969	Olympia	France
1969	Mireille... Mireille	Germany	First German album - wonderful fold out cover
1970	Mireille... Mireille	France
1970	Merci Mireille	Germany
1971	Bonjour Mireille	France
1971	Mireille Mathieu en concert au Canada	Canada	Live recording
1972	Mireille Mathieu chante Francis Lai	France
1972	J'étais si jeune	France
1972	Meine Träume	Germany
1973	Olympia	France
1973	L'amour et la vie	France
1974	Und der Wind wird ewig singen	Germany
1974	Le vent de la nuit	France
1974	Mirelle Mathieu chante Ennio Morricone	France
1974	Mireille Mathieu en concert à Byblos	Lebanon	Live recording
1975	Apprends-moi	France
1975	Rendezvous mit Mireille	Germany
1975	Wünsch Dir was – Eine musikalische Weltreise mit Mireille Mathieu	Germany
1976	Et tu seras poète	France
1976	Herzlichst Mireille	Germany
1976	Und wieder wird es Weihnachtszeit	Germany	Christmas album
1977	Sentimentalement vôtre	France
1977	Die schönsten deutschen Volkslieder	Germany
1977	Der Rhein und Das Lied von der Elbe	Germany
1977	Das neue Schlager-Album	Germany
1977	Es ist Zeit für Musik	Germany	ZDF-Show recording
1978	Fidelement vôtre	France
1978	J'ai peur d'aimer un souvenir	Japan
1978	Alle Kinder dieser Erde	Germany
1979	Mireille Mathieu Chante Paul Anka: Toi et Moi	France
1979	Mireille Mathieu Sings Paul Anka	World
1979	Romantiquement vôtre	France
1979	So ein schöner Abend	Germany
1980	Un peu... beaucoup... passionnément	France
1980	Gefuhle	Germany
1980	30 Favoritas de Mireille	Mexique	album 3 lp's avec Madrecita del Niños dios
1981	Bravo tu as gagné	Japan
1981	Je vous aime…	France
1981	Die Liebe einer Frau	Germany
1982	Trois milliards de gens sur terre	France
1982	Ein neuer Morgen	Germany
1982	Bonsoir Mathieu	Germany	ZDF-Show recording
1983	Je veux l'aimer	France
1983	Nur für dich	Germany
1984	Chanter	France
1984	Los cuentos de cri cri	Mexique
1984	The tales of cri cri	Usa
1985	La demoiselle d'Orléans	France
1985	Les grandes chansons françaises	France
1985	Welterfolge aus Paris	Germany	German-language version of ‘Les grandes chansons françaises’
1986	In Liebe Mireille	Germany
1986	Après toi	France
1987	Rencontres de femmes	France
1987	Tour de L'Europe	Germany
1988	Mireille Mathieu à Moscou	USSR	Live recording
1989	L'American	France
1989	Embrujo [Himno al amor, 1990]	Spain	Spanish-language album
1990	Ce soir je t'ai perdu	France
1991	Una mujer	Spain	Spanish-language album
1991	Mireille Mathieu - Que Pour Toi	France
1993	Mireille Mathieu chante Piaf	France
1993	Unter dem Himmel von Paris	Germany	German-language version of ‘Mireille Mathieu chante Piaf’
1995	Vous lui direz	France
1996	In meinem Traum	Germany
1999	Alles nur ein Spiel	Germany
2002	De tes mains	France
2005	Une place dans mon coeur	France
2007	In Meinem Herzen	Germany	12-10-2007

See also

• List of best selling music artists

External links

• Official Site Template:Fr icon