Enrico Macias facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Enrico Macias
Enrico Macias in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Gaston Ghrenassia
Born	(1938-12-11) 11 December 1938 (age 86)
Genres	Chanson, World
Occupation(s)	Composer, singer, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1962–
Labels	EMI

Gaston Ghrenassia (born on December 11, 1938), known as Enrico Macias, is a famous French singer, songwriter, and musician. He is known for his unique blend of French and Mediterranean music. He has performed all over the world and is often called a "Singer of Peace."

Early Life and Moving to France

Gaston Ghrenassia grew up in a Sephardic Jewish family. This means his family had roots in the Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). His father, Sylvain Ghrenassia, was a talented violinist. He played in an orchestra that focused on malouf, a type of Andalusian classical music.

Gaston started playing the guitar when he was very young. By age 15, he was already playing with the Cheikh Raymond Leyris Orchestra. He also trained to be a school teacher.

In 1961, life in Algeria became very difficult due to the Algerian War of Independence. Gaston's father-in-law, Cheikh Raymond Leyris, passed away during this time. This event deeply affected Gaston. On July 29, 1961, Gaston and his wife, Suzy, left Algeria. They moved to France, where they started a new life. Since then, he has not been able to return to Algeria.

Music Career

Enrico Macias in 1965

After moving to Paris, Enrico Macias decided to become a full-time musician. He began by translating the malouf songs he knew into French. Soon, he started creating his own French songs. He performed these new songs in small cafes and music halls called cabarets. He also continued to sing Arab-Andalusian and Judeo-Arab songs, which were very popular.

He chose the stage name Enrico Macias. In 1962, he made his first recording, "Adieu mon pays" (Goodbye my country). He wrote this song about his love for Algeria while on the ship to France. He appeared on French television and quickly became very famous. This led to his first tour in 1963.

In 1964, he performed at the famous Paris Olympia music hall. He then went on a successful tour of the Middle East, performing in Israel, Greece, and Turkey. He became especially popular in Turkey, where many of his songs were translated. In 1965, he won the Prix Vincent Scotto award. The next year, he sang for 120,000 people in Moscow and toured over 40 other Soviet cities. He also toured Japan and recorded songs in Spanish and Italian.

Enrico Macias made his American debut at a sold-out Carnegie Hall concert in New York City on February 17, 1968. He continued to tour the United States and Canada, where he was welcomed as a French-speaking artist. He returned to the Paris Olympia in 1971 and performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

In 1978, he was invited to Egypt by President Anwar El Sadat to sing for peace. This was a big moment because he had been banned from many Arab countries for years. He sang in front of 20,000 people near the Pyramids. After President Sadat passed away, Enrico Macias wrote a song for him called "Un berger vient de tomber" (A shepherd has fallen).

In 1988, his song "Zingarella" became a big hit, especially in Israel and Turkey. In recent years, he has also explored acting. In 2019, he played himself in the Netflix comedy series Family Business.

Popular Songs and Languages

Enrico Macias is known for many songs. In the 1960s, his Oriental-influenced songs were very popular. These included "Adieu mon pays," "Les filles de mon pays," and "L'Oriental." He also wrote tribute songs like "Le violon de mon père" (to his father) and "Mon chanteur préferé" (to his father-in-law).

Some of his big French hits are "Paris, tu m'as pris dans tes bras," "La femme de mon ami," and "Les gens du nord." He has sung in many languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Turkish, Greek, English, Armenian, Arabic, and even Yiddish.

Achievements and Recognition

Enrico Macias has received many honors for his music and his work for peace.

• In 1965, he won the Prix Vincent Scotto.
• He received a gold record in 1976 for his song "Mélisa."
• In 1980, the UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim named him "Singer of Peace." This was after Macias donated the money from his song "Malheur à celui qui blesse un enfant" (Woe to him who hurts a child) to UNICEF.
• In 1997, Kofi Annan, another UN Secretary-General, named him a "Roving Ambassador for Peace and the Defence of Children." This means he traveled to promote peace and protect children's rights.

Collaborations

Enrico Macias has worked with many other artists. His songs have been sung in different languages by musicians around the world.

• He sang duets with the famous Turkish singer Ajda Pekkan, and they released a live album together in 1976.
• In 1985, he joined other artists to sing "Viva Les Bleus," a song for the French national football team for the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
• He sang "Koum Tara" with Cheb Mami in 2003, which was featured on Cheb Mami's album.

Personal Life

Enrico Macias was married to Suzy Leyris, who passed away on December 23, 2008. His 1993 album, Suzy, is dedicated to her. He has a son, Jean-Claude, who is also a musician and has worked with him. He also has a daughter named Jocya.

Discography

Albums

Charts

Studio albums

• 1983: Deux ailes et trois plumes
• 1984: Générosité
• 1987: Enrico
• 1989: Le vent du sud
• 1991: Enrico
• 1992: Mon chanteur préferé
• 1993: Suzy
• 1994: La France de mon enfance
• 1995: Et Johnny Chante L'amour
• 1999: Aie Aie Aie Je T'Aime
• 1999: Hommage à Cheikh Raymond
• 2003: Oranges amères
• 2005: Chanter
• 2006: La Vie populaire
• 2011: Voyage d'une mélodie
• 2012: Venez tous mes amis!
• 2016: Les clefs
• 2019: Enrico Macias & Al orchestra

Live albums / compilations

• 1968: Olympia 68
• 1989: Olympia 89
• 1990: Disque d'Or
• 1992: Le plus grand bonheur du monde
• 1996: La Fête à l'Olympia
• 2003: Les Indispensables de Enrico Macias
• 2003: Concerts Musicorama
• 2006: Olympia 2003
• 2006: Les Concerts Exclusifs Europe
• 2008: Platinum Collection

Featured in

Filmography

Enrico Macias has also appeared in several films and TV shows, often playing himself or a small role.

• 1965: L'Esbrouffe or Déclic et des claques – as himself
• 1978: Mamma Rosa ou La farce du destin (TV mini-series)
• 2001: La Vérité si je mens! 2 – as Maurice Boudboul
• 2003: Les clés de bagnole – as a comedian
• 2005: Monsieur Molina (TV series) – as a judge
• 2006: Un ticket pour l'éspace – Enrico (voice)
• 2009: Coco – as a designer
• 2011: Bienvenue à bord – as himself
• 2012: La Vérité si je mens! 3 – as Maurice Boudboul
• 2012: Scènes de ménages: ce soir, ils reçoivent (TV series) – as a priest
• 2019: Family Business (Netflix series) – as himself

Soundtracks

He has also contributed to the soundtracks of various films and documentaries, either by singing or composing music.

• 1967: Le parapluie des vedettes (TV movie) – singing "Les millionnaires du dimanche"
• 1994: Ha-Perah Be-Gani (documentary) – writing music for "Marlène"
• 1998: A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries – writing and performing "Mon cœur d'attache"
• 2010: Axis of Evil (short film) – singing "J'ai quitté mon pays"
• 2011: Le Chat du rabbin – singing "Qu'elle ne se marie pas"
• 2011: Bachelor Days Are Over – writing and performing "Reste-moi fidèle"
• 2011: Bienvenue à bord – performing "Le mendiant de l'amour," "Les filles de mon pays," "Enfants de tous pays," and "Tu es le soleil de ma vie"

Documentaries

Enrico Macias has appeared in several documentaries, often sharing his experiences and insights.

• 1966: Paris aktuell – as himself
• 2001: Tutti frutti – as himself
• 2003: Guerre d'Algérie: la mémoire retrouvée? – as himself
• 2003: Ombre et lumière – as himself
• 2005: Graffiti 60 – as himself
• 2005: Mamy Scopitone – L'âge d'or du clip – as himself (also archive footage)

See also

In Spanish: Enrico Macias para niños