Édith Piaf (aka. "La Môme Piaf") (December 19, 1915 – October 11, 1963)[1] was one ofFrance's most-lovedsingers. Her real name wasÉdith Giovanna Gassion. She became a nationalicon. Her music was an image of hertragic life. Piaf was known for singingballads in a heartbreaking voice.
As child at her grandmother's inNormandy, she suffered fromkeratitis, but1925 - 10 A pilgrimage toLisieux in theNormandy honoringSaint Thérèse of Lisieux / (Sainte Thérèse de l'Enfant-Jésus), and the intense devoutness of the family resulted in a miraculous healing, Édith said.
1930 – 15 Her manager gave her the stage name "la môme Piaf", "la Môme", Édith Piaf, or justPiaf. She was only1.47 metres (4ft 10in) tall and puny, but sharp and lively like a sparrow. She always wore a black dress on the stage.
She sang first inPigalle, then inLe Gerny, the nightclub of Louis Leplée near theChamps-Élysées.She met Raymond Asso (1901-1968) and Marguerite Monnot (1903-1961), who wrote and composed her best songs; she stroke up an acquaintance with actor and singerMaurice Chevalier.
1948 – 32 The love of Piaf's life, theboxerMarcel Cerdan, middleweight champion of the world, died in a plane crash in October 1949, in the Azores, while flying from Paris toNew York City to meet her.
1952 – 36 Piaf married Jacques Pills in 1952 (her matron of honour wasMarlene Dietrich). Shedivorced him in 1956. In 1962, she wed Théo Sarapo (Theophanis Lamboukas), aGreekhairdresser who was 20 years her junior.
She suffered from different illnesses during her life, especially after several car crashes.
Among her most famoussongs are "Mon légionnaire" (1936), "Le fanion de la Légion" (1936), "La vie en rose" (1946), "Hymne à l'amour" (1949), "Padam... Padam..." (1951), "l'Accordéoniste" (1955), "Les amants d'un jour" (1956),"La foule" (1957), "Milord" (1959) and "Non, je ne regrette rien" (1960).
Although she was denied a solemn funeral mass, her funeral procession from her residence, Boulevard Lannes (Paris, XVI arr.) drew tens of thousands of mourners onto the streets of Paris, that caused a huge traffic jam. The ceremony at thecemetery‚Le Père-Lachaise (Paris, XX arr.), was attended by more than 100,000 fans.
Albums: Chansons Parisiennes (1949)Chansons des Cafés de Paris (1950)Edith Piaf (1953)Le Tour de Chant d'Édith Piaf a l'Olympia - No. 1 (1955)Le Tour de Chant d'Édith Piaf a l'Olympia - No. 2 (1956)Le Tour de Chant d'Édith Piaf a l'Olympia - No. 3 (1958)Récital 1961Récital 1962
