Guy Béart

Guy B?art (born July 16, 1930) is a French singer and songwriter. Born Guy B?har in Cairo, Egypt, his father's work as an accountant and business consultant saw the family move frequently, leading to a childhood spent in France, Greece, and Mexico, in addition to Egypt. Between the ages of 10 and 17 his family settled in Lebanon where his interest in music developed to the point that he left for Paris to study at the "?cole nationale de musique". In addition to music, he also obtained a degree in engineering.

When his father died in 1952, the young Guy B?har chose to pursue a career in engineering in order to help support his family, studying at the prestigious ?cole nationale des ponts et chaus?es. Simultaneously, however, he enrolled in Paris's ?cole nationale de musique, studying violin and mandolin, and in his spare time wrote songs and worked the Paris cabaret circuit, where he played guitar and sang under the stage name "Guy B?art". When a version of one of his songs by a popular performer of the day became a huge success, demand for his writing talents increased and he composed for Juliette Gr?co and others. Taken under the wing of renowned music producer Jacques Canetti and fellow musician Boris Vian, he released an album of his own, which won the prestigious Grand Prix de l'Acad?mie du Disque fran?ais in 1958.

Normally shy, B?art initially suffered from stage fright and had a very difficult time during his concert debut at the Paris Olympia. His biggest hit came when he wrote the soundtrack of the 1960 motion picture, L'Eau vive. The title song of the film is considered a classic of what is known as French chanson. Despite his leap to fame, B?art's singing career was soon swamped by the rising tide of American rock and roll. However, reinventing himself as a host of a television show featuring musical stars from a variety of genres, he remained in the public eye and eventually made a recording comeback.

In 1965 he and his wife, Genevi?ve Galea, had a daughter, Emmanuelle, who would grow up to be an actress.

After B?art's television show ended in 1970, his popularity waned but he continued to record new music that was readily purchased by a loyal following. By the early 1980s he was almost completely out of the spotlight and, although only in his early fifties, he suffered from a number of serious health problems. In 1987, he published a book about his illness entitled L'Esp?rance folle (Crazy Hope) that, combined with his daughter's success in the blockbuster film Manon des Sources, brought a resurgence of popularity. More than 25 years after his first appearance at the Paris Olympia, he returned for a series of highly successful performances.

In 1994 B?art was awarded the Grand Prix de l'Acad?mie fran?aise in recognition of his achievements over his long career. He continued to perform at a variety of venues around the country and in 1999 did a five-week run at Bobino in Montparnasse that was so popular it allowed for a successful re-release of his double live album recorded at the Olympia.

Now, well into his seventies, he only makes a rare appearance on stage but many of his songs, of which B?art wrote more than 300 himself, are still being purchased by his fans.