Johnny Hallyday

**Johnny Hallyday**, born Jean‑Philippe Léo Smet on *15 June 1943* in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, rose from a turbulent childhood—marked by an absent Belgian father and a mother who worked as a model—to become the undisputed king of French rock‑and‑roll. Adopted the stage name “Johnny” after a cousin‑in‑law who performed as Lee Halliday, he absorbed the sounds of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and early American pop, translating that energy into French‑language hits such as “Viens danser le twist” and “Laisse les filles”. His debut single “T’aimer follement” arrived in 1960 on the Vogue label, and by 1961 he had sold over a million copies of his twist cover, earning a gold disc. Over a career that spanned **57 years**, Hallyday released 79 albums, recorded more than 1 154 songs, and performed in 3 257 shows across 187 tours, including landmark concerts at Parc des Princes, Stade de France and the Eiffel Tower, each drawing hundreds of thousands of fans and millions of television viewers.

Beyond the stage, he acted in more than thirty films, collaborating with directors such as Jean‑Luc Godard and Costa‑Gavras, and partnered musically with legends like Charles Aznavour, Michel Berger and Jean‑Jacques Goldman. His personal life was equally dramatic: five marriages—including a celebrated union with pop icon Sylvie Vartan—and four children, two of whom pursued artistic careers. Recognised with five diamond, forty gold and twenty‑two platinum albums, he was awarded the Legion of Honour and became a cultural emblem of the *Trente Glorieuses*. When he died of lung cancer on 5 December 2017, a million mourners lined the Champs‑Élysées, underscoring his status as a national monument. Today, he remains a symbol of French popular culture, often dubbed the “French Elvis” and remembered for his electrifying presence, deep baritone, and relentless reinvention.