Eddie Barclay facts for kids

Édouard Ruault, known as Eddie Barclay, was a famous French record producer. He was born on January 26, 1921, and passed away on May 13, 2005. Eddie Barclay helped many singers become stars. Some of the well-known artists he worked with include Jacques Brel, Dalida, and Charles Aznavour. He also started his own record company, called Barclay.

A Life in Music

Early Years and Love for Jazz

Eddie Barclay was born in Paris, France. His father worked in a café, and his mother worked at the post office. When he was 15, he left school to help his parents at their café. He didn't enjoy school much, but he loved music. He taught himself to play the piano.

Eddie especially loved American jazz music. He was a big fan of jazz pianists like Fats Waller. He often visited the Hot Club de France. There, he listened to famous jazz musicians like Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt.

During World War II, jazz music was banned in France. But Eddie and his friends, called zazous, would secretly listen to jazz records. They also tuned into illegal radio stations. Later, he became a pianist at a nightclub called "Le Club."

Starting His Own Record Label

After the war, Édouard Ruault changed his name to Eddie Barclay. He opened his own club in Paris, called "Eddie's Club." In 1947, he formed a band. His wife, Nicole, was the singer, using the name Eve Williams.

Eddie and Nicole then started "Blue Star Records." They stored records in their apartment and Eddie delivered them himself. They released music by jazz artists like Don Byas. Eddie also wrote songs with famous French artists like Charles Aznavour and Boris Vian. He even helped edit a magazine about jazz music.

The Rise of Barclay Records

In 1952, Eddie learned about new recording technology in the United States. This technology allowed for smaller, longer-playing records called 45s and LPs. In 1955, Eddie Barclay made a deal to release music from Mercury Records in Europe. He brought many American recordings to France. He helped introduce these new record formats to the French market.

Barclay Records released music by American stars like Ray Charles and Duke Ellington. Eddie also hired a sound engineer to record new music in Paris. His company became very successful. After selling 1.5 million copies of the Platters' song "Only You," Barclay Records became the top music company in France. People started calling him the "king of microgroove" because of his success with the new record formats.

Discovering New Talent

Eddie Barclay had a great talent for finding new singers. He helped launch the careers of many French-speaking artists. These included Hugues Aufray, Michel Delpech, Dalida (who became famous in 1956), Mireille Mathieu, Claude Nougaro, and Eddy Mitchell. Artists loved working with Eddie because he gave them artistic freedom. He trusted their ideas and let them create their best music.

Charles Aznavour joined Barclay Records in 1956. They had been friends for over ten years. They even wrote songs together, like Quand tu m'embrasses (When You Hold Me). Jacques Brel, a famous Belgian singer, also joined Barclay in 1962. He recorded many hits with Barclay, such as "Le plat Pays" (The Flat Country). Other well-known singers like Juliette Gréco and Léo Ferré also chose to work with Barclay Records.

However, not every decision Eddie made was perfect. He decided not to sign Bob Marley. He also stopped working with Pierre Perret and Michel Sardou. He once told Sardou, "Write songs if you want, but don't sing them. You don't have any talent!"

Later Life and Legacy

In the early 1980s, Eddie Barclay sold most of his record label to another company, PolyGram. He then retired to Saint-Tropez, a beautiful town in France. He had spent 25 years building a house there. His famous trademark was wearing a white suit. He became known for his big parties in Saint-Tropez where all the guests wore white. These parties were a huge event for the French media.

Eddie Barclay passed away on May 13, 2005, in Paris. He left behind a son, Guillaume. Eddie Barclay is remembered as a very important figure in French music. He helped shape the music industry and launched the careers of many beloved artists.

Works

Eddie Barclay was involved in many musical projects.

• He helped write songs like Quand tu m'embrasses with Charles Aznavour.
• He also co-wrote Le rock de Monsieur Failair with Boris Vian.
• He created the music for several films. One famous film was Bob le flambeur (1955), also known as Bob the Gambler.
• In 1988, he published his autobiography, which is a book about his own life story.

See also

• Dalida
• Chaque jour a son secret (1958, film)