Daniel Guichard

by Olivier DubocDaniel Guichard was born in 1948, raised in Paris in the '50s, and has actually dragged out the image of an old-fashioned Parisian boy, including every cliché about it, starting with a strong accent. His gentle personality was quite well reflected in his songs, most of which are about tenderness, loss, love, and nostalgia. He started singing in Montmartre cabarets in the '60s, covering Bruant, Edith Piaf, and other French legends, and got signed pretty quickly by Barclay, for which he had been working as a packer. He got to perform for the first time at the Olympia in 1972, as an opening act to Mireille Matthieu, alongside Gérard Lenorman, and would happen to perform there again on numerous occasions through the years. His popularity was at its peak between 1971 and 1974, the year he got rewarded with a Caméra d'Or. From 1975 to 1985, he got to create his own record label (Kuldos), as well as a radio station (Radio Bocal). In 1985, he gathered a bunch of recording artists to set up a series of live shows destined to raise funds for scientific research against cancer. Musically, Guichard has managed to leave his trace with a few hit singles, including two highlights: 1971's "La Tendresse" and 1974's "Mon Vieux" (music by Jean Ferrat).