I encountered a singer who blew me away.
That is, many, many yesterdays ago.
I heard his music.
I even, many decades ago, got to hear him perform live in New York.
On his date in 1924, Shahnour Vaghenag Aznavourian was born to Armenian emigre parents in St. Germain des Pres in Paris.
He came to the notice of the wider world just after WWII when Edith Piaf took him along on at trip to New York.
And we have all benefited ever since.
Hier encore:
I could post dozens of youtubes. Below I will offer just a few.
Know this - he is an accomplished actor, having originally dropped out of school to be in the theater. He writes songs in many languages. Accomplished and famous singers delight in performing with him.
He is a diplomat, representing his ancestral homeland of Armenia.
Happy 89th birthday, Charles Aznavour.
He writes and sings in Spanish:
and in English:
and just a few more - a performance from 1996
a duet with Shirley Bassey, perhaps best known in this country for singing the theme from "Goldfinger" _
Mourir d'amour - to die of love:
a 3 decades old performance:
and let me end with this delightful one, a personal favorite: