Jean-Jacques Goldman

Jean-Jacques Goldman (born October 11, 1951) is a French singer and songwriter. He is hugely popular in the French-speaking world, and in 2003 was the second-grossing French pop singer, after Johnny Hallyday.

Related Topics:
October 11 - 1951 - Johnny Hallyday

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Born in Paris to immigrant Polish Jewish parents, Goldman was the third of four children and learned first the violin, and then the piano as a child. In 1968, he abandoned his classical music studies for the guitar. He also earned a business degree from the École Des Hautes Études Commerciales, commonly known as l'Edhec, in Lille. In 1972, he met Catherine, his first wife, with whom he had three children.

Related Topics:
École Des Hautes Études Commerciales - Lille

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He first entered the French music scene as member of a prog rock group named Tai Phong ("great wind" in Vietnamese), which released its first album in 1975. Their first song to be a moderate hit was "Sister Jane."

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After four years and three albums sung in English with Tai Phong, Goldman determined to go it alone and write and sing in French. In 1981, Marc Lumbroso heard his recording "Il suffira d'un signe" on the album Démodé and signed him to a five-album contract with Epic Records.

Related Topics:
Démodé - Epic Records

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In 1982, his first hit album Minoritaire, which included the hit song "Quand la musique est bonne," was released; subsequent albums have all been successful.

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He also writes for other singers, notably Céline Dion, with whom he collaborated on D'eux (released in the US as The French Album), Johnny Hallyday, Patricia Kaas, Garou, Marc Lavoine, Khaled, Lorie and Florent Pagny.

Related Topics:
Céline Dion - Patricia Kaas - Khaled - Florent Pagny

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He is the author of the famous song "La chanson des restos," performed by les Enfoirés as the theme of the charitable association created by Coluche, Les restos du coeur.

Related Topics:
Les Enfoirés - Coluche - Les restos du coeur

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His half-brother Pierre Goldman, a social activist and criminal, died in mysterious circumstances. He have a son named Samuel.

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