Charles Aznavour

Biography

Charles Aznavour (born Shahnur Vaghinak Aznavourian; 22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a renowned French-Armenian singer-songwriter, actor, and diplomat, becoming a celebrated name in French popular music. He was born in Paris to Armenian immigrant parents and developed a unique vibrato tenor voice. This voice, known for its clear upper registers and deep low notes, made him instantly recognizable to audiences around the world for over seven decades.

In his career, Aznavour recorded over 1,200 songs in various languages and wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs for himself and other artists. He was recognized as one of the greatest composers in popular music history, working across multiple genres and languages. He sold over 180 million records worldwide and received around sixty gold and platinum records between 1974 and 2016. Music critics often compared him to Frank Sinatra, calling him 'France's Frank Sinatra' or a 'French pop deity.'

Outside his music career, Aznavour acted in numerous films. Jean Cocteau cast him in the 1960 film 'Le Testament d'Orphée' and famously said, 'Before Aznavour despair was unpopular.' His acting career complemented his musical achievements and showed his versatility. He performed for presidents, popes, and royalty, making him an artist with international acclaim.

In the later years of his life, Aznavour focused on humanitarian causes and diplomacy. After the 1988 Armenian earthquake, he founded Aznavour for Armenia with his friend Lévon Sayan. In 1994, he was appointed Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Armenia to UNESCO, serving until his death. He gained Armenian citizenship in 2008 and later served as Armenia's ambassador to Switzerland and as a permanent delegate to the United Nations in Geneva. He married three times, to Micheline Rugel, Evelyne Plessis, and Ulla Thorsell, and passed away in Mouriès on 1 October 2018.