- Born
- 19 December 1915, Paris, France
- First work
- 1936: Les Mômes de la cloche
- Peak
- 1945 to 1955 (estimated)
- Last work
- 1963: L'Homme de Berlin
- Died
- 11 October 1963, Grasse, France; aged 47; natural
Édith Piaf
Music: singer, actress, songwriter, France
Édith Piaf was France's most celebrated national chanteuse, internationally venerated for her intense, dramatic ballads of love, tragedy, and loss. Raised in impoverished circumstances in Paris, she sang in the streets until discovered in 1935 by cabaret owner Louis Leplée, who dubbed her The Little Sparrow. Her trembling voice, theatrical gestures, and searing delivery struck a deep chord with audiences across the globe through the war years and post-war era. Despite surviving multiple car crashes, personal bereavements, and declining health, she delivered performances at the Paris Olympia late into her life. Piaf died near Grasse on the French Riviera in 1963, leaving an enduring imprint on French cultural identity.
Who else was born on 19 December or who died on 11 October.
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Signature works
- L'Accordéoniste song1940
- La Vie en rose song1945
- Hymne à l'amour song1950
- Padam, padam... song1951
- Milord song1959
- Non, je ne regrette rien song1960
Honours
- Grammy Hall of Fame for 'La Vie en rose', 1998
Groups: Polydor, Columbia Records.